


Wanderers

by awkwardedgeworth



Series: Wanderers [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, F/M, M/M, Major and Minor Character Death for the last chapter, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-10-10 05:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10429737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardedgeworth/pseuds/awkwardedgeworth
Summary: "Your name is not Otabek?" Yuri asks, indignant as he snaps his head up."As a mortal," He pauses, "I'm Otabek Altin, but as a god, I'm the god of victory."(an imprisoned god grieves after a loss, and learns a few things when he meets a wandering spirit)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> One word: midterms.
> 
> A sentence: life and school is hectic and i'm going through rough times. It's not my best work (re: exams and life) but it's something. I hope you'll enjoy it somewhat, even though Yuri isn't the main character in this one.
> 
> self beta'd, forgive any grammar mistakes, I still have three midterms to write next week.
> 
> (a sort of Noragami-plus-my-imagination AU, but if you've never heard of it, don't worry about it)

He finds the boy when the snow is falling, his body half buried by white, the barest of blond hair peeking through as he lies on his front. The border to the afterlife is a mere two feet away from the boy, and Otabek can see branches of trees from the After reaching towards him. 

He'll die if Otabek doesn't move fast.

Otabek's vision momentarily blurs and he sees the same boy as his Regalia, older and taller lying on a bed as death rattles in his lungs before he lays still. The illusion is brief but Otabek picks him up and spins on the spot, disappearing.

* * *

"Curious," Victor mutters over tea, placing his cup down as his silver eyes dart towards the body breathing shallowly on Otabek's bed. "You went out to get some prayers and you come back with a spirit."

Otabek doesn't look up from the slips of offerings he's filling out, painstakingly writing words with the small brush that Victor had provided. This way, if he focuses on his work for long enough, Victor will leave his room on his own accord— or that's what Otabek hopes anyway. The boundary lines surrounding the manor shifts to accommodate a guest, and Victor leaps up to his feet, eyes bright as the sound of the front door opens.

"Yuuri?"

"I'm back!" Yuuri's disembodied voice floats past through the shut door. There's a lot of thumps on the hardwood, presumably from the food being placed down, and Otabek glances quickly at the boy to see if the noise woke him up.

"We'll talk later," Victor supplies. His bedroom door opens and Otabek catches a glimpse of his sister's questioning gaze before it's shut. It's peaceful once again.

The boy shifts in his bed, leg kicking out. Otabek waves a hand and the blanket adjusts. He goes back to his work until the light outside turns from a blinding white to a dull grey, and the scent of food seeps from underneath his door. A small fish spirit delivers his meal and swims away, its blue and silver scales softly emitting light. Otabek turns on the table lamp and goes back to his work.

"Grandpa?"

The boy's face falls when he realizes Otabek is not the face he's looking for, looking down at the blankets and attempting to sit up before he elicits a hiss of pain.

Otabek gives him a cup of water first, propping his back as he fixes the pillows. As the boy eats, Otabek draws a chair from thin air and studies him, wondering how such a young soul nearly ended up in the After. He's not good with faces but the boy couldn't be older than fifteen, too young to have crossed the first border.

"Thanks...." The boy looks around at the room, and Otabek does the same, his three white walls greeting him as the snowfall outside continues to come down, "Where are we?"

" _Neither Here nor After_ ," The lamp's light seems to dim a little as he says this. "We're in the Middle, supported by the boundary lines that keeps us hovering between the two worlds."

The boy frowns.

Otabek rises with a small smile, "It'll be a long explanation, can I get you anything first?"

The boy finally sees the garment on his body— how it seems to flicker between a dress shirt with slacks and a dark yukata. Otabek twitches a finger and the room finally restores itself to its original design, wooden floor boards, tatami mats where the boy is sitting on a futon, and a wall of rice paper and sliding doors. The moon outside hangs low and red, the stars twinkling.

"Just water I guess.... Where are we?" He repeats.

"I think it would be better to say that this place is a refuge and an onsen," Otabek can hear Victor and Yuuri laughing somewhere in the manor and his sister's footsteps shuffling above their heads, "Yu-topia serves any passing gods and welcomes spirits passing from Here to the After. The Middle is where the dead are given a second chance of being alive."

* * *

When Yuri falls back to sleep, Otabek steps out of his room, going down the short flight of steps to see Zarina cock an eyebrow.

He settles on one of the many dining chairs, pouring himself a black drink and watching as a wandering sunfish swims around their heads lazily, emitting a soft light. Zarina swirls the golden fluid— like stardust, winks of the sun glimmering as it sloshes this way and that way in her wine glass— around, the light bouncing off her features. Her straight brows looks menacing from this angle.

" _Curious_."

Otabek sighs, "Victor already said that," For lack of a better topic, he reiterates what Yuri had told him earlier. "The boy was passing when he saw his grandfather's image and chased after him. It's a common lure by the monsters near the onsen."

She doesn't pick the bait, "Are you going to turn him into a Regalia?"

"He is not a servant, nor will I let him treat me like I saved his life."

"Ah," Zarina frowns, "But you already did, dear brother."

"He's human."

" _Was_. He's a spirit now. A wandering one," She sips her golden drink and smiles at a minor god walking back from the onsen in the back. "I don't think you've forgotten how the rules in this world works. He's automatically tied to you in some form or another the moment you decided to save him, life threatening wound from a monster or not."

"I can cut off the bond, there's nothing more than that."

"Leroy would not be pleased if his only god of—"

"Not anymore," He cuts her off, frowning at the table as the fish senses his mood and scatters, taking the light with them. His mouth is dry and he clears his throat before speaking. "I'm not a god anymore."

"Beka," She tries to comfort him. "Leroy's incarnation has forgiven you."

"It's still my fault. I'm not going back."

"You should at least have a spirit with you. A companion. If you want to do something right, a god of mortal domain who doesn't have a companion will make your king look bad."

"And you, sister?" Otabek challenges her slightly, watching her flush. "You don't need to stay here with me. Your people need you."

"I can say the same about you, brother."

"Victor and Yuuri welcome me."

She reluctantly dips her head to his words. Otabek taps his cup with her wine glass, "But this isn't your domain," She's right; the Middle is where gods can escape from their duties for a short while, but they can't stay here forever.

"It isn't yours either."

Zarina finishes her drink in one last swing and stands up, her long earrings swinging. Otabek closes his eyes when she sweeps down to kiss his cheek, feeling the heat from her palms. "You can't run away forever, brother."

* * *

He weaves some of his protection into a spare leather jacket he has and gives it to Yuri. The boy dubiously squinted at the over-sized jacket but cracks a small smile when it forms to his body as he slips it on.

Yuuri smiles at them the next day when they walk down for a late breakfast, gesturing to a table overlooking the large expanse of untouched snow.

"So what do you do?"

Otabek swallows a few fish bones by accident, "Everyday I go out to take offerings and prayers. I bring those to my room and write blessings to be sent to my respective shrine on Earth. Or Here, if you want to use 'our' term."

"This Here, After, Middle, is confusing," Yuri mumbles. His pinched face is still pale, and Otabek had tipped some dreamless tonic into his water last night so he won't be burdened with nightmares of his grandfather's death. Yuri tries to squint out the windows. "Where's the gate?"

"There's no gate."

"Huh?" There's rice stuck on the corner of his mouth.

"You can wander as far as you want, but once you've passed a certain point, usually by the small fence over there, you've overstepped the boundaries lines and won't be protected."

"Protected from what? There's nothing out there."

"You don't remember?" Yuri watches Otabek stand up, walking over to his side of the table. The god picks up his left palm and writes a complex of lines and swirls. Yuri waits.

Then, when he turns back to the windows, thinking Otabek had drawn a silly design on his hand, he sees the monsters crawling all over the gate, trying to overstep the boundaries like a large, writhing mass.

* * *

They're given adjacent rooms, and Otabek doesn't sleep the nights when Yuri screams for his grandfather. 

Sometimes he screams about something else entirely. Otabek turns a deaf ear to this but leaves the screen door separating their rooms open just in case Yuri needs him. He doesn't mind not sleeping, and instead takes this time to go through a collection of his favorite books.

When he's not busy and caught unguarded, visions of the battlefield haunt him, drowning soldiers yelling, the hooves of horses echoing in his head, the soft thumps of bodies hitting the ground and metal scratching against each other. When a victory is reached, there is also the destruction it caused, and it is Otabek and those who lost who carry the burden like Atlas and his world.

He finds Yuri sitting in the backyard of Yu-topia, a field of green stretching five acres, looking at the grass. Instead of blue, the skies here are white with translucent clouds that shine a soft light over them.

"What do you have there?"

Yuri shows him the sunflower seeds he got from Victor, "Old man wants me to help him plant some flowers. He says it'll brighten up the onsen a bit."

Otabek makes a few quick estimates and procures two spades and a set of normal shorts and t-shirt. Yuri fumbles with the bottle of sunscreen he tosses to him, but rubs the white layer over his skin.

"You don't have to help me," Yuri says when they measured off an area with a stake and string, digging his spade into the grass. Otabek can already feel his back seizing up thirty minutes into helping, he really is getting old. "I can do it myself."

"I want to help, I've never gardened before."

Yuri snorts, "This is going to go so well. Victor's going to throw a fit."

Otabek smiles in response and looks away.

* * *

When Otabek is out to fetch his prayers, he asks Yuri to help Yuuri and Victor with the onsen. It's partly because they could use the extra hand, but Otabek doesn't want Yuri to have to swim through the masses of monsters and fight them off. Everyday, he leaves perfectly whole but comes back to the onsen covered in blood and innards.

He's then discreetly carted away to the baths by Victor before he returns to his room to find Yuri reading a book Yuuri had picked out for him in Cyrillic.

"It says here that you're a god," The statement doesn't sound accusing, and Otabek likes to think that he has learned to read Yuri pretty well so far. Rather, it sounds like he's mildly entertained.

"Do you not believe them?" Otabek turns to him with a smile. It's understandable, he supposes. Yuri studies the list of all existing gods, the family branch extending to the most minor gods and humans who carry slivers of their blood in them. It's Phichit's best work, and Otabek is pleased that his picture is missing from his information page.

"No, no I believe them...him...whoever Phichit is," Yuri waves his concerns away. "I just can't find your name in here."

"That's because they would use my actual name."

"Your name is not Otabek?" Yuri asks, indignant as he snaps his head up.

"As a mortal," He pauses, "I'm Otabek Altin, but as a god, I'm something different. I have many faces but I'm ultimately the god of victory, and thus, a war deity by fault."

"This book says that most gods have a companion."

"It's merely a title. Spirits who are forged into a god's weapon are called Regalias, our blessed vessels."

"Then who's who for Victor and Yuuri?"

"Victor is Yuuri's Regalia, and has been with him for a very long time. Yuuri was at first reluctant to have one to help him around, but they've worked out in the past couple millenniums," Otabek leaves out the part where Victor was heartbroken for centuries before Yuuri came around and the melodramatics leading up to it. Yuri scans the book,

"You don't have one."

"I don't."

"Why not?"

The answer is simple, but he can still see the smile of his last Regalia in his mind, "I don't need one."

If Yuri finds that weird, he doesn't say a word about it, nodding along and going back to his book. Otabek lets his eyes linger on his face for a couple of seconds before going back to his duties.

* * *

Otabek takes Yuri outside for a quick errand in the mortal world when he catches word that JJ will be visiting the onsen.

Yuri nearly spends all day in the malls, and Otabek can only read so many books from the bookstore before he's surrounded by other people in a packed store, following Yuri's enthusiastic shouts as he spots a shirt he likes.

The marker of time is obvious. Yuri nearly stands half a head taller than everyone else, his braid hanging down past his shoulder. Otabek's leather jacket hangs off his frame, growing to his body as time passes. He feels bad now, as he should have taken Yuri down to Earth more often.

Several gaggle of giggly girls corners Yuri, and Otabek bites the inside of his cheeks in displeasure.

They come back to the onsen late, directly appearing on the front steps as Otabek releases Yuri's wrist and toes off his shoes. Makkachin's loud barks can be heard clear through the door, and something with black hair and red lips flies into his arms when he pushes the door aside.

"Isabella?"

"Otabek, come home, please," She's clasping her hands, pouting. "It's been so long," Yuri ogles at her like she's not of this world, and he would be half correct as Isabella Yang has some mortal blood. She's also the object of JJ's affections, "We miss you, _I_ miss you."

"You're doing fine without me."

Isabella crosses her arms at this, "It's not the same."

"I know," He gives her a half smile, "I'm sorry I can't do anything more," Yuri has mysteriously disappeared from the genkan. Otabek's senses must be growing dull. "JJ will do fine without me."

"You can't just _not_ come home!"

"Victor spent centuries moping around in the Middle world."

"Victor is also a lovesick fool and a strong spirit, you're a god."

He chuckles, "Are you saying that he's stronger than me?"

Isabella scowls, "You know what I mean! Normally JJ wouldn't be so worried if you're here with a companion, but you don't have one. It's been so long since you're here, too. Why don't you take the boy in?"

"I don't want to make Yuri bound to me, he's a free spirit."

"You're powerless in this realm! What if a monster breaches—"

He waves his arms and lets a collection of the flowers sitting by the genkan float in front of Isabella, "I can do some."

" _Otabek_."

"Maybe it's a good thing I'm limited here," He flexes his fingers, feeling the invisible restrains as his movements are slowed like walking through molasses, "I would hate to see this place fall," Isabella lowers her eyes when his armor flashes on his skin instead, flickering unsteadily before Otabek wills it away.

"What happened with JJ, he's forgiven you. He's moved on and you should too."

"He went to fight a war and _died_ , Isabella. A blessing from the god of victory isn't supposed to do that to him."

"Just because you're a god doesn't mean you can save everyone," She snaps at him, "As your friend, I'm telling you to stop this moping, really. Fate and Destiny can't even be controlled by the gods. JJ's time was up, so he died and was reincarnated— surely you've been reincarnated yourself at some point of your long existence," She halts, eyes widening. "Oh."

Otabek grimly smiles at her.

She touches his elbow, "Is that why...?"

"Traces of me is on Yuri ever since I saved him. If I die, he would be bound to raise me until I can fend for myself. This of course, doesn't end until he perishes, and spirits who can use their powers don't die easily."

"I don't see the problem," She softly says, "You clearly care for him, and I can see that he cares for you. If you died, he'll be here for you."

"The problem is that he'll be bound to me, and I don't want him to do that. He's free to do what he wants. JJ haven't told you this, but the only way a spirit can be released of our service is for them to die by our hand," He smiles at the floor.

When he looks up, she comes forward and hugs him.

"It's too soon, isn't it?"

Life and death. It's a cycle. He's been reborn time and time again, has opened his eyes to his long line of Regalias who took care of him, who turned into the weapons that reigned destruction in his hands but also spoon fed him and rocked him to sleep.

* * *

"He's in a terrifically bad mood," Yuuri mumbles in his ear as they watch Victor teach Yuri how to suspend heavier objects with his powers, the white sky above them is bright.

"Did you two get into a fight recently?"

"Not that I'm aware of," His replies nearly gets drowned by Yuri cursing in his mother tongue, sending a boulder over his head. Victor dodges the flying projectile like a cat and sends another large boulder flying towards Yuri, "Why? Has he said something to you?"

"Well, he smashed forty plates this week so far," Yuuri sighs, leaning his arms on the wooden railing. "Fixing smashed plates have become a recent gift of mine, if you must know."

"I apologize."

There's a smile on the edge of Yuuri's mouth, "That's seems to be the sort of thing a god with a blessed vessel does, not one that doesn't have one."

Otabek sighs from his nose, leaning on the balcony and letting his eyes relax. Over the boundary line, the monsters are clamoring in an eternal dance to try to break into this paradise, "Isabella wants me home. Or more specifically, JJ wants me home."

"He _is_ your king," Yuuri softly says, drawing up two chairs with a wave of his hand. Otabek waits for him to sit down and make himself comfortable before lowering himself.

"He'd want all of his gods to be present in his realm. You two were close before his death, and he'll always retain his memories so it's not like your king is a complete stranger. As your friend, he worries."

Otabek doesn't say anything. Eventually, Yuuri leaves to go prepare food for the dinner crowd and leaves him to his thoughts. The vision he saw when he first met Yuri lurks at the edges of his mind.

After the final summer harvest of that year is complete, Otabek goes home. He doesn't return until six years later.

* * *

"Where's your little one?" Isabella inquires in JJ's house, sitting cross legged on a white couch as Leo and Guang Hong fight over the piano in the far corner of the living room.

Otabek blissfully enjoys the cold seeping into his bones, smiling when Isabella wraps an afghan around her lower half. The onsen is always at a perfect temperature and he misses feeling the cold nick his skin.

"Yuri? I left him with Yuuri and Victor."

"Why?" JJ frowns, coming up to him, a line of hot drinks floating behind him like ducklings following a mother duck. The drinks disperse, and Otabek burns his tongue when he takes a sip. "Wasn't he with you for at least five years? Didn't you save him from really crossing the boundary?"

"He's a free—"

"Spirit," JJ rolls his eyes. "I heard you the first time, Beka."

"He's not bound to me, and I think he enjoys hanging around Yuuri and Victor anyway. He's always more lively around them, and they could use his help."

JJ's eyebrows doesn't smooth all the way out, but he nods slowly at his words before joining Isabella. Otabek looks down at the cup in his hands and sees his dark circles reflected back at him.

Odd, his chest is aching.

* * *

_Dear Otabek,_  
  
_Thank you for sending some peaches over here. Did you know they were Yuri's favorite?_  
  
_Seung-gil has been stopping by frequently (maybe you know something about it?) at the onsen and Yuri asked him to teach him how to fight since I quote, "Victor is a useless, incapable telephone booth," end quote. He's moved on from throwing boulders and mastered establishing boundary lines. They looked pretty good from what I've seen. Madam Baranovskaya was impressed._  
  
_Do visit if you can. It's quiet around here without you. Victor and I didn't realize how much your presence affected us until you left. I take that everything is well in Canada._  
_Yuri misses you too. He's taller now, and I'm not sure if Victor is happy or sad that he's caught up to his height._ _  
_  
_Yours,_ __Yuuri__

* * *

Otabek carries Isabella's eldest girl in his arms, following her parents as they stroll around Uruk. The annual peace campaign overlapped with updating the wards around the world, and so they've been cut off from civilization for nearly half a month now. The final meeting had wrapped up last week, and JJ dragged them overseas for a little vacation, though Otabek is starting to think that he brought them here to work on their nanny skills. Electricity and wifi and working toilets were great, however, he'd forgotten how glorious hot showers were.

Except slipping back into civilization was nice until he realized that there were more than fifty letters from Yuuri addressed to him. It took him an entire day to read all of them, and to send a lengthy letter to Yuuri and Victor of his sudden, unexplained absence. He hopes they didn't wait long since time flows differently there.

"Still no Regalia?" Seung-gil says, carrying JJ's youngest in his arms. The boy is sleeping soundly, making a spot of drool on Seung-gil's shirt. 

Otabek turns his head slightly to the left and sees two of Seung-gil's best Regalias following them from a respectful distance, shaking his head, "I don't need one."

"Is it arrogance?" Seung-gil asks.

"It's determination and respecting a dying wish," He says. The girl in his arms squirms and lets out a wail, so he turns his full attention to her and starts humming.

"You're weaker without one."

"I can influence and foresee victory, Seung-gil. I don't need one."

"In the case that you know you'll lose, then what will happen? You die?"

"Then my life has run out. I'll be reincarnated again."

"And get that spirit you left involved. As JJ's right hand, you're not very capable."

Otabek scowls, stopping in place to bounce up and down slightly so the little girl calms down, "I can also foresee which battles to stay away from. As JJ's left hand, you're not very confident in my abilities."

"I'm older and thus wiser."

"Only by a few millenniums," Otabek complains because he knows that out of all the gods in the mortal domain, he's one of the youngest ones, and they never let him forget it during annual family gatherings. He's already endured jabs and side comments of his Regalia-less state from the other gods during their campaign— he doesn't need Seung-gil to rub it in any further.

Seung-gil walks forward again and Otabek follows him, Isabella's little girl sniffling lightly now. He grabs a handkerchief from his pocket and lightly rubs her tear-stains away, making it to the city square where Leo and Guang Hong are holding several shopping bags outside a store, looking exhausted. From the store window, Isabella catches sight of them and waves. Seung-gil raises a hand and snorts when JJ beams at them and hugs Isabella from behind, grinning.

"One of my younger sisters fell in love with a spirit."

Otabek turns to him, head tilted.

Seung-gil shrugs, "She didn't pursue him for fear of her duties. He died several centuries later. She still regrets it to this day."

"You're definitely selling that idea to me."

"Aren't you mouthy."

"I'm proactive. I should have had the foresight to watch JJ closer in that battle instead of going off on my own," Otabek murmurs. "Regardless, I want you to respect my wish. Nikolai didn't stay back for anything."

"...I thought it was...just his time?"

"He sustained a heavy injury after a hunt. Since the battle was coming up, he told me to leave him behind since his wound will weaken his Regalia form, so I asked Yuuri and Victor for a favour to take care of him while I was away. When I came back, it was too late. All he left was a note, and several years later, I found his grandson," It felt good to talk to Seung-gil, to get this off his chest.

There's a light of realization and then massive confusion, "Nikolai is several centuries old, he can't be Yuri's grandfather."

"Time doesn't flow linearly in the Middle, does it?"

"No, I suppose not."

Otabek shrugs, "It puzzles me too, but I've learned not to look at a gifted horse in the mouth."

Seung-gil nudges his elbow, looking at the plaza fountain, "Visit him."

"Drop it."

"I'm serious. It's been how long?" When Seung-gil smiles at Otabek's scowl, he nods to himself. "That's what I thought. It'd be nice to visit some family during the holidays. I didn't teach him how to fight for nothing, you know."

Otabek hip-checks him.

* * *

_Yuri's sick, please come back._

There's only five words written down, and he and Yuuri have exchanged many more than that, but why hadn't he mentioned this to him until now?

JJ's the only one awake at this time of night to send him off. 

"Mail me if there's anything I can do," That's a lie and they both know it, but the gesture is there. Otabek nods twice, walks in place and feels a hook in his gut, his vision blurring until he falls onto the front steps of the onsen. 

Minako is smoking a pipe when he stumbles in, tapping the ashes into a bowl. She looks at his appearance, "For a god who promised not to come back here, you move surprisingly fast when a loved one in involved."

Otabek clenches his jaws but doesn't say anything, still standing in the genkan. Minako eventually sighs and jerks her chin upstairs, Otabek darting up the wooden stairs.

When he slides open the door to Yuri's room, he can smell the leftover scent of herbs that Minako had crushed. There's a lump sleeping on the futon, and Yuri's eyebrows are strung tight as he writhes gently, feverish and ill.

"Yuuri called me one day to ask if I know any cures for his stomach pain," Minako comes to sit next to him, rearranging the blanket Yuri had pushed. His pallor doesn't look good, and his skin is sweaty. "It comes and goes with hives that bloom all over his back, and I don't exactly know what caused it, but I know the cure at least."

"How much?" He prompts. Millenniums of military campaigns for peace has made him no stranger to bargaining. Whatever it is Minako wants, he'll get it.

She sighs, "There's an area just beyond the border in the After with a spring. The spring is nothing important, but it's the plants that grow in them that are. You're familiar with Rencha?"

"I've seen it once," He doesn't tell her how his predecessor drowned in that spring, his body swallowed by the black water until he saw long kelp like strands of white that glowed. "How much do you need?" 

"As much as you can carry back, if you want to save his life."

"Of course I want to," He hisses as Yuri moans, burrowing deeper into his blanket. Otabek feels helpless. "Can't you do something about his pain at least?"

"You think that I don't care about his pain? Any more painkillers and he'll die! It's amazing he's lasted this long with a rosetting fever," She gives a sniff and stands up, leaving the room.

He slowly scoots closer to Yuri's side and fiddles with his blankets for a little bit, eventually burying his face in his hands as he takes a shaky breath. Rosetting fever is not to be taken lightly, he's seen some of his strongest siblings fall ill to it and die. 

"I'm so sorry," He whispers to the dark room.  
  
Victor doesn't seem to be the least surprised when he walks in to Yuri's bedroom and finds Otabek kneeling. He merely hands him a tray of food and a bucket half filled with water, a towel draped over the edge. Otabek helps Victor prop Yuri up as they change his damp clothes and wipe his body down, rubbing away some of the paste on his skin.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because he didn't want you to know," Victor rarely sounds accusatory, but he is now. "That's what you get for not ever visiting. You knew how he felt about you."

"So you think," Otabek calmly says, making sure to get behind Yuri's ears with the cloth. "That I should have brought him the life of a Regalia and bind himself to fight for me? That's the same thing JJ did to me, I don't want Yuri to be subjected to that."

"You're friends with JJ."

"The fact that he's my king doesn't change."

"You know Yuri wouldn't have any objections being your Regalia."

Otabek pins a stare at Yuuri's Regalia, "Has Yuuri ever brought you into battle?" Victor shakes his head. "You don't want to be in one. It's dangerous and down there—" Otabek gestures past the floors, "—on Earth, you're as mortal as everyone else. In the past I've kept many Regalias at my side to provide aide but in the end they were all slaughtered regardless. Do you want Yuri's second chance to be extinguished this easily?"

"Alright, I hear you," Victor frowns, biting on his lip. "You wouldn't let him die right?"

"I know JJ isn't the best judge of character, but do you mistrust me that badly?"

"You were reluctant to even step foot in here, why come now? You ignored Yuri when he asked for you," Otabek looks away at this, knowing that Victor is right. "You left without saying goodbye to him in the night. He woke up the morning and threw a fit, even begging Yakov to give him permission to go down."

"...I was trying to protect—"

"That's bullshit and both you and I know it," Victor snaps.

Otabek glares at him as Yuri shifts in his futon, hand catching the leather jacket Otabek folded up to put beside his pillow, "Then what do you want from me, Victor? I stayed away because him becoming my Regalia is a bad idea, and I returned so I can prevent his death a second time!"

"This would have been easier if you were just honest! We all know you like him! Every action of yours reflects that! You left because you didn't know what to do with your feelings! You played a game with him! A game of maintaining distance!"

The insides of his cheeks sting as he releases his teeth, iron flooding his mouth, "...That's...not all true. I was also respecting his grandfather's dying wish."

"His grandfather?" Victor sharply turns to look at Yuri and the way he's curling up next to Otabek's knee. "This is Nikolai's grandson?"

"Of some sort. Time moves differently down there compared to here. Nikolai's son married a human and Yuri is a half-spirit that came here too early," He closes his eyes and sees snow in front of him, "There was a blizzard that morning I went out to get my prayers, and he was lying in the snow near the After border with an injury," Otabek strokes Yuri's hair. "I brought him here and you know the rest."

"Did you know he was Nikolai's grandson before?"

"No, I saw a baby picture of him from Nikolai's son but it didn't clicked until he woke up screaming in the nights following for Nikolai himself," He turns to the spirit, "Do you know what I regret most in my years of living?"

"Nikolai's death?"

"No, that was unavoidable. It was not being by his side when he was ill and weak. With all my other Regalias, they died in the battlefield and didn't make it to old age. I was gone when I was supposed to be at Nikolai's bedside like he did whenever I was reborn or fell ill. To the man who spent his second life serving me, the least I could have done was stayed next to him and give him some comfort."

Victor smiles, bending down to brush Yuri's hair, "Nikolai got along well with Yuuri when he was here, he wasn't alone."  
"I should have been there with him," Otabek sighs, leaning on his palms as he looks up at the ceiling. "I didn't know what I was thinking, running after JJ."

Victor pats the his hand in understanding, bowing his head a little as Otabek fights the stinging in his eyes. Yuri shifts in his bed and coughs, Victor moving to his feet as he mumbles something about making Yuri some miso soup. The screen door shuts.

Otabek slowly lowers himself, placing his head on his leather jacket.

When he wakes, there's a blanket half on his body and Yuri next to him. Tears prickle his eyes again so he shifts to make himself more comfortable and wraps an arm around Yuri, listening to his breathing as sleep pulls him back down again. In his vague dreams of blurred faces and half-formed futures, Nikolai stands out among the faceless shapes and smiles at him, nodding.

* * *

Yuuri's hands are quick and nimble as he brushes Otabek's hair out, "How short do you want it to be?"

"Clean up the sides," His hands brushes around the grown out bits beside his ears. Grooming has been the last thing in his mind in the last few hours. "And leave around five to six inches for my bangs."

"Undercut?" Yuuri's voice is muffled as he holds a hair-tie between his lips, hand quickly gathering his hair into a short ponytail.

"Please," The clipper starts buzzing and clumps of his hair falls on the white mat below his bare feet. Small groups of fish clean this up by directing the hair into a bag. Otabek closes his eyes, listening to clatter of utensils from the onsen.

"Are you sure about this?" Yuuri asks. It's not hard to know what he's referring to when Victor is polishing his best armour and Minako is digging in the attic for a spare sword.

In fact, Otabek has gotten plenty of attention even though he's sure he hasn't said a word about this to anyone outside the onsen. One of the fishes must have spread it around. Even Seung-gil offered to lend his Regalia to him.

"I have to. It's for Yuri."

Yuuri doesn't say anything as there's nothing to be said after Otabek makes his quiet declaration. His head is tilted back as Yuuri combs his bangs a couple of times before pulling it back and snipping it here and there. "Victor told me what you two were talking about. I think it's admirable."

Otabek laughs, "I think you meant to say it's stupid of me."

"Seeing that it's a dying wish, I can understand why you tried to keep yourself out of it."

"There's...also a vision before."

Yuuri makes a confused noise, "Vision?"

"I saw him as my Regalia, older and taller than he is currently, and him being sick."

There's a burst of pain on the shell of his left ear, and Yuuri grumbles at him, "Oh why didn't you tell us that sooner, Otabek? We thought you were being unreasonable. Of course with that and your Nikolai's wish you wouldn't want him to be your Regalia," Yuuri flicks his other ear, gentler. "Thank you for telling me. I'll keep this quiet."

"I thought...that by keeping my distance, he'll give up on being my Regalia—"

"And in turn, won't get sick," Yuuri finishes, running a hand through his hand to shake any clumps out. Otabek stands up from his chair and pulls a t-shirt. "I understand now."  
  
Otabek grimaces, "Gods aren't always wise."

Yuuri turns pink, looking off to the side with a sheepish grin, "Tell me about it, I still remember the thing with Victor a while back," When Otabek chuckles, Yuuri swats his arm. "You didn't think far enough into the future. The vision could have meant many different things. Yuri could still be sick even though he's your Regalia."

He doesn't look at him, "I know. I realized that now," Maybe if Yuri were his Regalia he could have prevented it from happening in the first place. Yuri could have had the medication right away. He could have suffered for a shorter period of time. All of the possibilities sits like sour milk in him, the ifs and thens and the could haves. For a god, one of victory no less, one of the strongest amongst the others, he is surprisingly mortal.

* * *

He peers at the mirror like reflection, slumping down as he pants.

He had died here a very long time ago in one of his earliest deaths after he came into existence. A slip, some tangly vegetation in the water, and he drowned. Since then, Otabek has an aversion to swimming at night unless there's lights involved.

The After, once he got past the boundary line, is eerily silent. It's a flat expanse of black earth as far as the eye can see with trees clumping near the entrance to drag expired souls towards the border. There's not a single soul or creature in here. No wind either. The trees that had tried to drag Yuri over to this side stay motionless as he passed them on his way to the lake. It's entirely unnatural and all of his senses are telling him to get out.

Otabek starts stripping his armour, knowing that there's no creatures in the lake from his previous dip, losing his shirt and wrapping twine around his left bicep. He straps a dagger to his belt before sitting on the ledge, dipping his lower half into the skin temperature water. He tries not to pay too much attention to the fading scars adorning his skin or the shiny, lightning-like stretch marks near his hips and calves.

"Here goes," He says, pushing off.

The clump of Rencha glows slightly at the bottom of the lake. He swims towards it, feet brushing the slimy bottom as he sits on a nearby rock and pulls out his dagger. Overall, it has the shape of a seaweed, if seaweeds were full of spikes that pack enough poison to kill a god.

It takes him forever to remove all the spikes, wary as they float around his feet on the bottom. He digs away at the dirt, uncovering enough stem to drive the dagger in and rip a single stalk out. It floats beside him as he goes for the second stalk, de-spiking the entire thing before digging away at the earth again. He does this until he thinks there won't be enough twine to secure all of them and stops, gulping in water as he takes a break and looks at all the white spikes covering the bottom of the lake.

He does some sluggish, complex hand movement that sends most of the spikes up towards the surface. He knows the toxin will sell at high prices, and well, Zarina has always been a fan of studying rare toxic plants. The bundle of Rencha goes up too, and Otabek starts swimming upwards, in a hurry to get back to the onsen.

It's not until he's out of the lake, pawing at his clothes that he realizes the water he'd breathed in has slowly made him sleepy. His limbs feel like weights, and he tips onto the ground. A god, yet also a fool. He never learns.  
  
He wakes up hurt, thirsty, hungry, and weak.

Yuri's head, hair tied in a half bun, comes into focus the longer he stares at him. One of the smaller sunfishes hovers close to his face, swimming back and forth in the air with agitated motions. He's naked under the blanket save for his briefs as Yuri goes onto his knees and attacks Otabek's forehead with a cloth, face blotchy and twisted with anger.

"You nearly died, you stupid asshole! You were asleep for _two weeks!_ "

Otabek closes his eyes, "And that is not how you address a god."

"You're an _asshole,_ " Yuri hisses. "You saved me from those monster things then you had the _fucking nerve_ to go back to _Canada without telling me anything_. You didn't even send me letters in the years you were gone! I had to ask about you through Yuuri!! If it were me, I'd headlock you onto the floor—" He falls silent, so Otabek opens his eyes, watching Yuri's anger melt into hurt. " _Why did you leave without telling me?_ "

Otabek was hoping they wouldn't be talking about this topic so soon, "Would you believe me if I tell you that even gods are cowards?"

Yuri glares at him. Otabek accepts this.

"Help me up?"

"...Are you sure you want to sit up?"

"Yes."

Even with him still angry, he spoon feeds Otabek a golden soup when he's upright. Peeks of sunlight and stardust goes down his throat, but it doesn't give him any strength. Encircled in Yuri's arms, Otabek allows himself a rare moment of weakness and leans against him, cheek pressed against Yuri's neck. 

"Is it not out of your system yet?"

"Almost," Otabek tips forward and droops on Yuri's shoulder, too tired to apologize. He turns his right palm up and sees a black vapour rising from the middle. The golden soup is doing a good job of detoxifying him. "I feel the most human when I'm like this."

"Serves you right," Yuri grumbles. Otabek is lowered onto his pillow again, and while Yuri tidies up his meal, some curious lionfishes are hiding behind Yuri's hair to peer at him. After a while, just when Otabek's about to doze off, Yuri turns to him. "They were waiting for you, you know. Victor nearly lost it when he came running back with you not breathing or moving. We were sure you were dead."

_Death_ , he thinks, "I don't want to die, not really."

"Not even if you were to be reincarnated?" Yuri's mocking him now, gripping the towel with the skin of his knuckles pulled taut and his green eyes sparking. His cheekbones are more prominent, and it shows when he's clenching his jaws. "Why not? You'll still be a god with all of your memories in tact. I'll just be the one who has to take care of you until I die."

Otabek only thinks of how Isabella had cried when JJ's body faded and a toddler around five with big eyes and messy black hair appeared where the body had been laying, "It causes unnecessary grief to the god's caretakers."

"Death is normal isn't it? Just the other day, Seung-gil passed away. It'll be his hundredth reincarnation when he comes back."

Otabek shifts to his side and looks outside the window, "That's different. He has his blessed vessels to help him."

"...You have me right?"

Otabek speaks a word in his mother tongue that sends all the fishes in the room scattering. Yuri looks in confusion at the suddenly dark room.

"Otabek?"

"Nikolai," He starts, the name passing from his lips like a broken promise. "Was my previous regalia, and he did not want his only grandson to be mixed up in this world, nevertheless be a Regalia to a god who frequents the battlefield."

Yuri's breath hitches. 

"He served me for centuries until one day his time ran out. I told him to stay here at Yu-topia while I went off to battle alongside my king," He looks up to the ceiling, closing his eyes shut. "Time flows differently between the Middle and Earth, so what felt like mere days in the southerns borders was years in Yu-topia. I was too late when I returned, and imprisoned myself here as punishment. Then, you appeared one day, body half mauled by a monster with the trees from the After already trying to drag your body to that side."

Yuri balls up his fist, "So you were respecting Grandpa's wish all this time?"

Otabek frowns, "Yuri, I don't want you to become a Regalia."

"Why not?!"

"The only way you can dissolve your service is if I were to kill you," He tonelessly says. "It's not something to be taken lightly. You're still young, you can go learn under Yakov and Lilia, you can work under Victor and Yuuri. I don't want to steal your future away from you."

"Future? What future? I'm dead, Otabek! Got hit by a car because I was listening to music and I didn't even know I could die a second time in this place!" He leans down, eyes brimming with anger. "Yuuri told me that there's traces of you on me because you saved my life. If you'd died, I would have been your Regalia anyway."

" _Yuri, I don't want to lose you._ " 

It falls out of his mouth too easily and too quickly. Breath caught, Yuri stares at him as Otabek swallows, eyes locked with his.

There's an awful pain spreading from his nose and upper lip, but Yuri's warm palms moves his face and then he's feeling fire burn in his body, their lips pressing against each other. Otabek doesn't move a muscle and stays perfectly still as Yuri separates his mouth and tentatively sucks on his bottom lip, tasting faintly of mint and fruit juice.

Yuri's mouth stops moving, and his lashes flutter open as he draws back a minute distance, their lips still close enough to brush against each other and he whispers, "Beka?"

Otabek closes his eyes and swallows, about to move back slowly before Yuri's sharp voice cuts through.

"Don't run away."

He stops.

"It's dangerous being a Regalia," Is what Otabek responds with, face still cradled. He won't let his heart sing, not yet. "It's especially dangerous for you because I actively fight in wars," Yuri has seen the array of scars on his body, of knife wounds and the ragged piece of work on his back from an old fight against some of the Middle's worst monsters.

The words, once spoken, brushes against his skin like a distance bell of a promise being made, that Yuri will do his damn best to make sure it doesn't fall through, "You're not going to lose me."

He grips Yuri's forearm and shoulder, tugging him down and ignoring the pain shooting up his back. Their lips separate for a moment, a halt in their dance, before Otabek tilts his chin up and a little to the side and Yuri obliges. His hands are gentle, moving from Otabek's jaw to his ear, tracing a line down the curve of his neck, travelling down to his chest where most of the worst knife marks are. His cold fingers feels like an anchor through the heat his body is giving off.

They slowly separate, open-mouthed turning into chaste kisses as Yuri presses a final one to the edge of his mouth. Otabek opens his eyes, hand going up to tug Yuri's half-bun loose. A curtain of blond tickles down, haloing Yuri's flushed cheeks as he moves back to sit on his thighs.

Otabek sits up in a faltering motion as he grabs Yuri's right palm and looks him in the eye, finger poised to write, "Last chance to back out."

"I'm sure," Yuri firmly says.

Otabek starts tracing the black lines and swirls. Yuri can't understand the weight of promises and levels of protection Otabek is drawing on his palm and up towards his wrist, but the symbol sinks down onto his skin and glows briefly before settling.

He looks up.

At that, Yuri grins at something, long fingers trailing over his collarbones before dipping to where his heart is. Otabek lets a smile overtake his features, " _Thy name is Yuri, as Regalia, Zhanym._ " 

A shashka rests across his hands, the handle gilded with green and gold. He waves a hand and Yuri reappears again, eyes too bright as he settles across Otabek's lap. They fall.

They end up squished against each other, and there's now a new pain between his ribs but he'll suffer through it. Yuri mumbles an apology and pulls himself up. Otabek quickly kisses him on the mouth before he pulls back, resting his forehead against his the fabric of Yuri's yukata. He can hear and feel his heart pound.

"The old man should rest," Yuri quips. Otabek lets himself be manhandled, getting tucked into bed like a child.

"Aren't you curious to how old I am?"

"Like. A billion years old?"

Otabek laughs, "I'm only twenty."

"Hey, don't cheat! You don't even age anymore!" Yuri gasps, "Wait. I'm biologically _older_ than you?"

"Are you saying I look old? I'm immortal, you know."

"Yeah, you have a few wrinkles already," Yuri grins. "I always wondered how old you are," He reaches slowly towards Otabek and brushes a thumb under his eyes, turning somber. "You always had this look in your eyes like you've met death too many times."

Otabek studies him, blinking slowly as Yuri draws his knees up and puts his head on his forearms, "I still have to do some chores."

"Stay."

In the end, Yuri makes sure Otabek's covered completely before resting his head on their shared pillow. A stray sunfish comes in and starts swimming in the corner of the ceiling, bathing the room in a soft orange glow.

"You won't lose me," Yuri mumbles into his hair. "I'll make sure that you teach me all your best moves. Seung-gil has taught me some tricks as well. Victor's already packing up my bags for Canada."

Otabek takes his hand and kisses his knuckles, "Will do," Yuri's face flames, and Otabek pulls him closer. "I think you'll like Isabella and the others," He entwines his fingers with Yuri's and pulls it up from beneath the blanket, kissing his hand.

"Hm," Yuri makes a non-committal hum. "That JJ person you hid from when he visited a long time ago makes me think that I won't like him."

"You can take all the time you need," Otabek opens one eye, curious.

Yuri purses his lips, "I'm still mad, by the way. About the ditching. You better not disappear when I wake up or else I'll go down there, start yelling JJ's name from the most touristy place possible and embarrass you. And I'll shave your head."

"I'm sorry," Otabek sincerely says, trying not to smile at the threat of his impending baldness. He broke his promise to Nikolai, but he won't let Yuri die too early. He's going to make sure he lives a long second life. "I'll make it up to you. We have nearly forever, after all."

Yuri's smiling, "Forever, huh?" He gives him one last smile before closing his eyes, burrowing into the pillow. It's a hopeful one, the start of something new.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't help but make a continuation...WELP i guess this is turning into a multi-chaptered thing. i know where i'll end, hopefully it won't be as drawn out as the other fics but i never keep my word \o/ 
> 
> credits and shoutout to starkysnarks on tumblr, who gave me permission to reference and use the endearments Beka says to Yuri.
> 
> self beta'd

Canada is weird.

The country itself hasn't done anything bad to Yuri. Rather, Canada in the spring time was very nice. The small collection of godly beings live all together in JJ's Toronto house, though mansion was a more accurate description. Otabek had mentioned in the passing that they sometimes retreat to their waterfront home in Vancouver, but Yuri wasn't sure how that worked unless they teleport—

Never mind. It's obvious now.

Otabek's sleepily mumbles in his mother tongue, a language of the gods that Yuri's having trouble learning because of its complexity and characters of the alphabet that look more like scribbles than actual words. Yuri pauses at the foot of his bed, taking in the golden skin riddled with faint scars and his back that shows jagged flesh that had been hastily stitched together in a battlefield. 

He's beautiful.

Beautiful, but also late. Yuri rips off his blankets. Otabek immediately reacts by curling up into a ball, frowning as he keeps his eyes shut, squirming around for the loss of heat.

Isabella knocks on the slightly ajar door, a hand over her eyes as she maneuvers her head in, only bumping her nose once on the wood, "Is everyone decent? Good. Otabek, you missed breakfast. Leo left your oatmeal warm. Yuri, I hope you're also awake."

"I'm decent," He grumbles. She lowers her hand and smiles at him before elegantly slipping back downstairs.

Isabella Yang is _infinitely_ times more likable than her insufferable husband, also known as JJ, also known as Jackass, also known as Otabek's superior and the "King" of all gods who exist in the mortal realm. 

Yuri thought it was a joke at first but it's legitimacy hardened each day, JJ sometimes disappearing during breakfast to take care of some duties and coming back late with Otabek, haggard and tired.

He doesn't realize at what he was staring off into space at until Otabek clears his throat, hands ready to pull down his pyjama bottoms. Yuri turns red and swiftly walks out of the room.

"Morning," Guang Hong greets him, sitting on a chair in the dining room connected to the kitchen. Leo is outside in the backyard, net in hand as he scoops some fallen leaves out of the pool. 

"Morning, what are we doing today?" It's still his first week as Otabek's Regalia, and so far, he lessons with Leo and sometimes Isabella for language and Godly Politics 101. When he's trustworthy enough, he watches over JJ's spawns or help run grocery errands.

Guang Hong smiles, "Oh, Phichit is visiting! I think he wants to update his book to include a picture of you and Otabek and fill in more information for his revised 687th edition."

Yuri tries not to be surprised at how little they regard time but is taken by surprise when a sharp knock makes itself known at the front door.

Guang Hong frowns. Leo turns around outside, still crouched as he holds a few wet leaves in his hand. Otabek, decently dressed in a simple black t-shirt with dark washed jeans, reroutes his path from the kitchen and goes for the front door, also confused.

The door opens. There's two voices, one higher pitched than the other. It reverts to the mother language of the gods, and Yuri uses Guang Hong's face as a conversation gauge, wondering why he's wincing when the slam of the door becomes known.

Two females with dark hair walk in. The taller one has Otabek's straight eyebrows and a weird glow from her eyes. Yuri notes that she's not of this world by robes on her body, ornate and accented with gold. The shorter one looks like an average student, almost like a mini-Otabek in that she's wearing everything black, and smiles at everyone in the room. Her hair is swept back in a bun, decorated with a white hair scrunchie with a pearl dangling from it. Both are slightly glowing.

Guang Hong jumps to his feet, "Zarina, Madina, what brings you here?"

"Hello Guang Hong," The taller one sweeps her cold eyes over the room, ignoring Roy and Rosie peeking out of the playroom, blinking neutrally until she locks onto Yuri.

He swallows with difficulty. He has a good guess as to what the two goddesses are doing here.

"Do you want some oatmeal?" Otabek breaks the silence with an offer of food. Yuri wholeheartedly agrees that food is a good distraction, but maybe not the oatmeal. JJ only bought the ridiculously healthy kind that absolutely has no sugar in it. 

It is, in Yuri's opinion, bland and should be banned under this roof.

"Sure!" The shorter one chirps, walking over and settling onto the dining chair across of Yuri, smiling. "I'll have mine topped off with bananas."

"None for me," The taller one says to Otabek as he goes to the kitchen for a tactical retreat. She follows Madina's steps and sits next to her, adjusting her robes and looking Yuri up and down. "We've never met. My name is Zarina."

"Yuri."

"Just Yuri?" Her eyebrows are menacing; she doesn't look impressed.

"Yuri...Plisetsky?"

"You didn't give him a name of his own?" Zarina prompts Otabek as he comes back with two bowls, one topped with nothing and one topped with bananas. Madina says her thanks before redirecting Guang Hong into a conversation, asking to see the pool outside.

"He was human when I met him."

"Technically," Madina says over her shoulder before she's out the sliding door leading to the backyard. "He was dead when you met him, just barely clinging onto his second life. Yuri was already spirit by then, but I suppose his conscious tells otherwise. Evidence seems to be lacking."

"Thank you, Madina," Zarina curtly says. Madina rolls her eyes behind her sister's head and ducks out.

Otabek takes a few spoonfuls of oatmeal, standing at the head of the table, "Yuri has always been Yuri. What's the use of giving him another name?"

Zarina smiles with teeth, "I heard Phichit Chulanot will be dropping by your residence this afternoon to update his book."

"Correct."

"Most Regalias have three names. A name their god bestows them as a person, one as a weapon, and one that was their human name."

Yuri doesn't see her logic, Otabek does, however, and shrugs, "I still don't see the point of it. We can leave it blank. Phichit is very accommodating."

Zarina doesn't like this. She expresses as so in her mother tongue and makes several lightning gestures to Yuri, who's watching the exchange to Otabek like a tennis match. This continues on for several seconds until Otabek puts down his oatmeal and narrows his eyes. Zarina responds in a calm manner, though her expression is strained and she's becoming exasperated. Yuri's name is mentioned several times. 

Eventually, Zarina sighs, stands up and turns on the spot, disappearing.

Otabek slides into the seat that she had previously occupied, continuing to eat his oatmeal slowly.

"What's that about?" Yuri asks. "Nothing nice, I'm sure. Is she your sister?"

"Yes, Zarina is the oldest and Madina is the middle child. Zarina is what JJ is. She and several other gods oversees our entire existence and worlds."

"Ah."

"Madina is protector of the Middle and to some extent, the god of living and death in a sense that she knows who goes in and out of that realm any moment. That's why she knew about your passing into the Middle world and your near brush in the After."

"You're all related? Brothers and sisters?" It's so hard to see two polar opposite sisters and Otabek sitting down in a family dinner. How odd.

" _Technically_ , all gods are related to one another, but yes, Zarina's and Madina's existence are akin, so they're more closely related to each other than they are to me. I'm an outlier."

"A god of victory who is also a war deity have some connection with the Middle world," Madina's voice interrupts as she steps back into the house, Leo and Guang Hong following her. "Even though you were born as a god of victory, you didn't immediately start your career, dear brother. Have you taught Yuri the family tree yet?"

"Let's not overwhelm him," Otabek suggests, turning his head a little as Madina comes up behind him. From this angle, they _do_ look like siblings. Or maybe it's their mortal characteristics. "Will you be leaving soon?"

"I will, I mustn't overstay my welcome," She takes a step backward and waves to the toddlers Isabella is juggling. "You should visit the Capital sometimes, we'll hold a festival for you all!" There's a glow, a pop, and she's gone.

* * *

Yuri has met Phichit only once when he was dropping by the onsen during Otabek's absence. That time, Yuri had been angry at everything, so his first impression had gone out the window.

" _Yuri!~_ " Phichit sings, tackling him for a hug as Leo leads him in after lunch. "Gosh! You're so tall now! Are you taller than Victor yet?"

"I am," He replies smugly, preening slightly as Phichit claps. Otabek is sitting in a corner of armchairs and they make their way towards him. When they're close enough, he shuffles some papers together and flips them face down.

"Chulanot, it's good to see you," Otabek smiles. Phichit shakes his hand enthusiastically and commences the revision of his book.

Yuri watches them work, Otabek writing in the air with his forefinger in English and the mother language of all gods, letters glowing white as Phichit looks on with an air of seriousness.

" _Zhanym_ , huh?" Phichit murmurs, reading the characters. He turns to Yuri with a small smile. "Names have meanings, did you know?"

"It means soul," Yuri says, "I think."

Phichit winks, "Do you know what else it means?"

Otabek clears his throat before Phichit can go any further, pointing to the floating letters in front of them. Yuri watches the strange letters glow, its brightness highlighting the way Otabek's lashes look as he casts his eyes downwards, lost in thought. _Talk to me_ , Yuri wants to say, _why are you acting so distant to me now that I've became your Regalia?_

Everyone had been happy when Yuri announced his absence in Yu-topia, not because Yuuri and Victor will need to work harder to keep the onsen running without him, but that he was finally where he wanted to be— next to Otabek and whatever it is that he does. The puppy love he had for him left a long time ago during Otabek's absence, but Yuri is still enamored by him, for better or for worse.

Like now, Otabek is smiling as he listens to Phichit, nodding where it's appropriate, but Yuri wonders if people can see through him, how under his clothes he bears some of the worst trophies in life on his skin, how he always seems to be lost in thought during the early hours of the morning, how he avoids sleeping and pools, and buries his head into his work like it's the only thing that will keep him together, like a old teddy-bear that has been passed down through many rough hands.

"I'm the god of names," Phichit says, entering the playroom as Yuri swivels his head around. JJ's kids are coloring and he's watching over them so none of them trip and bump their head or attempt to eat the crayons. "You can say that I'm related to every god."

"You said names were important."

"They are, they hold meaning. Your name means a lot of things in different languages. It can mean light of God, abundant ideals, courage, if we have more leeway with the spelling, snow, tenderness, superiority, reason, justice or truth." Phichit closes his eyes, and when he opens them, his iris are glowing slightly, a dazzling amber brown. " _Zhanym_ means soul, but you should ask Otabek what it means to him."

Then he disappears, pulling the unfair trick of teleporting away as Yuri is left to his thoughts until Roy garbles to catch his attention.

* * *

"I have a little job for you both," JJ walks up to him one morning, bright and cheery. Yuri is less than amused. It's still four in the morning, and he contemplates on shutting his bedroom door in the jerk's face to state his point.

"What is it?" He flatly asks.

JJ clears his throat, "It's very important. I can only trust this mission to Otabek, and you, by extension."

"Wow, I am _so_ honoured I make your list of trusted individuals."

JJ beams, oblivious to Yuri's sarcasm, "Great! So how much do you know about the capital?"

"...Like Ottawa? That's the capital of Canada right?"

"No, no, I meant the capital of our realm. Us gods, immortal beings."

"Not much."

"It's a great place. I need you to go to the capital and see Chris. He needs to give me something and I can't escape a parent-teacher meeting with Rosie! Bells would kill me."

Yuri assumes that Bells is short for Isabella, since she's the only female that interacts with JJ everyday aside from Rosie's preschool teacher, "Doesn't seem too hard."

"That's great. Just tell Otabek and he'll know where to take you."

"Wait, why do I need to come?" He takes a step out of his bedroom, frowning. "Otabek's a god. He should be able to come and go as he please."

JJ studies him, dark eyes a little somber and serious, "Only gods with Regalias can enter the Capital. He hasn't been there for a very long time, that's why his siblings came for a visit the other day. He should be able to go back now that he has you. Yu-topia and the capital is in the same dimension, but only gods can enter the capital."

"That's a stupid reason. Why?"

"Yu-topia is a haven for escaping gods. In the capital, where there are gods all around you, he's unprotected. Though he's a god, if a mob of us corner him he's not going to get away unscathed," JJ laughs bitterly. "And being a god of victory and a war deity doesn't make the target on his back any better either."

* * *

Otabek wasn't sleeping in his room nor was he in the library. Yuri runs around the mansion in an attempt to find him, accidentally walking into Leo in the middle of practicing guitar in the upstairs common room despite the still ridiculous hour in the morning.

"Hey!" He pants, slipping into the outdoor slippers and jogging to Otabek, who has his legs in the pool and a carton of chocolate milk beside him. "There you are, I was looking for you!"

"I was looking at the sunrise. What do you need?"

Yuri drops beside him, their thighs not quite touching as he peers into the pool. The stars are still twinkling faintly, and the moon is visible in the far horizon, "JJ says he needs us to go to the capital to get something from Chris. He would get it himself but he has a parent-teacher meeting and Isabella will eat him if he doesn't go."

"Isabella has a better palate than that," Otabek says without enthusiasm, like he's just saying that for the sake of talking. This is a well known tactic of Otabek's, Yuri has learned. He says unexpected things in hopes that the other party would latch onto that. It works every time with Jackass but not with Yuri.

"So when are we leaving? We can go after breakfast."

"Chris is not a morning person. We'd have to go later, I'll call you when we're about to leave. Dress warmly, it might be winter there."

"Might?"

"Time flows differently between Here and Middle," Otabek stands up, water running down his calves as he takes the empty milk carton with him, face pulled into a passive mask Yuri is starting to see too often. "I'll call you when I'm about to leave," He repeats.

Then Otabek walks back into the house and disappears up the stairs.

Isabella finds him in the backyard, kicking the water aimlessly as he sits on the pool's edge. Her children's laughter can be heard in the house as Guang Hong takes turns giving them piggy-back rides.

"Have you had breakfast?"

Yuri turns to see her hold out a bowl of cereal with lots of berries that aren't in season, which means that Yuuri and Victor must have sent a package this morning when he was out. He takes the offered bowl and Isabella slips beside him, crossing her legs and studying the line of bushes in front of the wooden fence surrounding the yard.

"Gods are stupid sometimes," Isabella starts. Yuri turns his head at this, blinking. "Since they're immortal, I think they forget that we work differently from them, that we don't have the luxury of waiting for them to work out their problems because for us, time is passing, slower than humans but still passing."

"I feel like Otabek's distancing himself from me. Or at least he doesn't seem as happy as he used to be when I turned into his Regalia."

Isabella nods in understanding, "And you're wondering if you've made the right choice."

"I don't know that yet," He admits. "I'm good at fighting, but I haven't shown Otabek. I thought that once I got here, we'd be training everyday or something. I was hoping JJ would have Regalias and I could learn a thing or two from them."

She laughs, "Were you surprised that JJ is actually the king?"

"...Yes."

She ruffles his hair as he chews his cereal, embarrassed, "I won't take it personally, don't worry. JJ doesn't have any Regalias because he has three gods working for him, so in a sense, I guess Otabek, Leo and Guang Hong are his blessed weapons. Oh, and Seung-gil too, but he's usually in Seoul."

"Can gods be each other's Regalias?"

"No, the bond ritual doesn't work that way. Only spirits can be Regalias," She looks thoughtful at this, "I'm not sure if half-spirits can receive the bond, but I haven't heard of any Regalias that are half. I certainly could be, but I've chosen not to."

"Why not?"

"Freedom," She says simply. "I want to do whatever I want. Some gods are gracious about their Regalia's freedom, like JJ is. He lets those three wander around anytime provided that any duties aren't coming up. They don't even need to live with him, but it makes him feel more secured since we're the only gods within kilometers. The other ones aren't as lucky."

"A lot of people say that freedom is a big price to pay...I don't really see it."

Isabella hums, "The only way to dissolve the Regalia bond is for the master to kill them. You have to be extremely sure you want to be with them. A lot of spirits get wary that way, that's why a god's greatest weapon is in how many Regalias they have and if they're competent. In a battle, it all comes down to the god and the Regalia working as a team," She dips a finger into the water and starts drawing, blue sparkles shooting out of her forefinger. Miniature figures leap out of the water, dancing around each other as she displays her gift. "As such, the bond between Regalia and god is extremely important."

* * *

Otabek has a dark green knit sweater under his black topcoat when he appears at the entrance of his room. Yuri grabs a well-worn leather jacket and wraps a scarf that Yuuri had knitted for him around his neck.

Otabek turns his palms up, waiting. Yuri holds his fingers and Otabek curls his fingers in, pulling him as his arms reach around him before they spin.

They land in what seems to be a designated teleportation spot, a clearing that has been shoveled clear of snow as many footsteps lead out of the secluded circle of trees. Otabek releases him but doesn't move, closing his eyes.

"Otabek?"

"There's a festival," The god points to the exit of the clearing. "I can hear it, let's go."

Yuri has no choice but to follow him, glad that Victor bought him combat boots for one Christmas. As they exit, Yuri breathes in, smile breaking out.

The capital looks like a collection of historical buildings clustered together. Immediately in front of him is a large frozen pond where several figures are skating on, the surface of the water the deepest blue Yuri can imagine. The sky is yellow, heavy clouds rolling above them, just waiting for the right moment to snow. Off to the left are several shrines, mosques and churches climbing the face of a mountain. Towards the right are modern buildings, some completely out of glass and rising from the ground like a beacon in the skyline, pulsing a gentle light of white. There's a large white building across the pond, its image flickering as the houses beside it stands solidly.

"It's flickering because it looks different to everyone," Otabek's voice breaks his train of thought. His hands are in his pockets, the curve of his mouth pulled down slightly, "That's where we're going. Let's go."

Halfway through, Otabek stops at a street cart and buys two masks, one of a painted wolf and the other a ceramic bear. He gives Yuri the bear one and fixes the wolf one to his face.

"Are you hiding?"

Otabek doesn't answer, but takes Yuri's wrist in a hold that's neither firm nor loose, and leads the way, passing food stalls and various entertainers rising laughter from the crowds gathered around them. Yuri's not sure if Otabek's ears are red from the cold, but he knows his ears are red because of him.

It's like a tide, the push and pull of Otabek— the way he saved Yuri without a regard for his life even though he walks dangerously among maintaining a balance, doing things that doesn't sway Yuri's heart any less while raising several walls between Otabek the god of victory and Otabek the weary.

Chris is a bubbly thing, though the flute of champagne in his hands might be a consideration to take. He lives nearby the large building that keeps flickering, which Yuri learned that Zarina occupies along with some other gods that are higher up the ladder. Otabek tucks the manila folder into his jacket pocket and bids Chris goodbye, firmly saying no to alcohol and trying his hardest to keep a straight face as Chris's wandering hands goes out of Yuri's view.

"...So what does Chris do?" Yuri asks once they're back out in the cold.

"Communication. Very important in the battlefield, so he works alongside JJ when we're dispatched in battles or campaigns. He's the sole god that keeps the After, Middle and Here interconnected," Otabek then darkly mumbles something about his tendency of grabby hands. "Do you want to explore? We don't have to go back right away."

Yuri nods, and Otabek finally smiles, and by god it's like sunbeams shining down from heavy clouds after a storm. If he wasn't already dead, Yuri would have though his heart stopped as it stuttered— and then he turns away to press his lips together in an attempt to hide his happiness. 

They go to the nearest food stall and Otabek buys a little of everything, explaining to Yuri what's in each dish even though he's familiar with most of them through the onsen's menu and Yuuri's passion for anything deep fried. They share a lava cake that has some spirits (the alcohol), and Otabek relaxes visibly, his mask askew as he moves it to the side of his head. 

They need to talk about them. What are they? Exactly what does Yuri have to expect now that they've kissed (many times) but have done nothing ever since stepping onto Canada?

"Altin?"

Swiftly, Otabek's cheeriness slips off as he grabs Yuri and pulls him behind. Yuri peers over the top of Otabek's head at the group of immortals, hands full of festival food. They would blend in great into the crowd except that they suddenly have their Regalias melting out of the shadows to flank them. In the back of his mind where all the unnecessary comments are produced, Yuri inwardly smiles; Otabek sure is popular.

Mr. Popular's grip tightens on his wrist and they're disappearing, but not before some of the gods leap forward in an attempt to catch them. Yuri kicks one of them off right before they teleport, right boot meeting a fleshy nose. His triumph is cut short when he gets a stinging sensation on his right cheek before landing on top of Otabek.

Otabek grunts. Yuri hastily retreats and looks around, recognizing Otabek's bedroom by the lack of decorations and a once neat bed before they landed on it unceremoniously. The god of victory seems to have given up on moving, lying on his back as the last rays of sunset peeks through the blinds. His mask is lying face down beside him, the string snapped during the brief scuffle. 

Otabek then flies to his feet, "Shit," Then, he guides Yuri to his chair and removes his mask, eyebrows scrunched at the cut on his cheek. "They got you."

"No big deal, it'll clot soon and scab over."

There's a tsk as Otabek kneels down and pulls one of his drawers, unearthing a hefty first-aid kit with clear vials containing solutions that glow. "That's still no excuse. I'm also sorry for grabbing you roughly."

"It's okay."

Otabek is quiet for a long time, shedding his coat off to push back the sleeves of his sweater as he takes his time cleaning Yuri's wound. Yuri watches his fingers work efficiently, studying the way he adds an extra twitch here and there to take the cap off the vials without touching it. 

Yuri winces when Otabek bends a gently fizzing liquid the color of sunset onto his wound. The god murmurs another apology.

"I'm afraid I'm not very popular."

Yuri doesn't stifle the snort, "I can tell. Did you kill them in their past lives or something?"

"Something like that. It's a very long story that has too much politics and history surrounding it. Michele is a good god, but he can hold a grudge for a very long time."

"So you guys have a tally or something? Who beats who the most?"

"He's another war god like Seung-gil. They don't get along well, so automatically, he doesn't like me. His twin sister and the red head standing next to her are alright in my opinion, though Seung-gil doesn't like either of them," Otabek huffs a breath out. "This is why I rather spend my time down here away from court politics."

The solution on his face gets bended away, a cloth absorbing the excess. Otabek then stacks many layers of gauze on top of each other and starts to inscribe something. Yuri is sure it means 'to heal', and bends his head lower. The gauze is pressed against his face and Yuri holds his breath as it slowly sinks into his skin, leaving a faint symbol on his right cheek. Pleased, Otabek moves back from his work and starts to close each vial with a stopper the human way.

Yuri decides to take a leap, "Otabek?"

"Hm?"

"...Why haven't we..." Yuri makes a vague gesture with his hands that's supposed to mean something even though Otabek's still fiddling with his first aid kit. "You know."

Otabek turns his head over his shoulder to him, a blank stare on his face. Yuri considers backing off, but he soldiers on, swallowing and licking his lips, mouth open—

A knock interrupts them.

"Becky!" Yuri is going to _skin_ JJ alive in the middle of his sleep and toss him into the pool, Isabella and their children or not. It's like being seventeen all over again, except better since he knows how to fling things heavier than boulders around with a wave of his hands and some creative swearing. "Do you have my mail?"

Otabek rolls off his bed to attend to JJ, and Yuri drops his head onto the table, withholding a scream.

* * *

In his desperation, he clings to Yuuri when drops by for a visit.

"You look well rested," Yuuri gives him a smile, sipping the concoction of kale, spinach, apples, wheat grass and celery that JJ had stuffed into a blender as they sit out in the lawn chairs Isabella had single handedly built a few days ago, complete with an attached table to hold drinks or towels. Yuri looks away so his stomach doesn't start rolling again. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes. A lot. Look at me, do I look tired?"

"No, are you supposed to be tired?" Yuuri makes a quizzical face at this. "Do you _want_ to be tired?"

"No of course not!" He replies with a rush. "Well."

"Well?"

"When I was at the onsen I could only sleep like what? Seven hours per night?"

"Okay..."

"...Yeah."

"I still don't see where you're going with this."

"They're not doing anything," Yuri moans, raking his hand through his hair aggressively, "They don't even train! So far the most challenging thing I've done is trying to convince Roy to put on his pants! Didn't Otabek went MIA for several years because he was on a war campaign? What happened to that?"

"The war campaign doesn't last the entirety of the year, Yuri, you can't expect them to be away so often. From what little I know, they go through phases of staying home and travelling."

"That's the thing! Jackass has taken Leo and Otabek out for 'business' several times! Without me!"

"Maybe it was a gods-only affair," Yuuri elegantly shrugs with an empty glass in his hand. He waves a few fingers and the glass starts to float back into the house. "I'm actually relieved you haven't been to the front lines yet."

"Why? Is it because it's _dangerous_? Because I've heard that excuse _at least_ ten times everyday when I waste away sitting on the couch waiting to pick the kids up!"

Yuuri raises an eyebrow, not amused, "Maybe you should bring this up with JJ or Otabek, not me."

A flock of birds nesting in a nearby tree take to the skies when Yuri turns his head away and yells.

* * *

"Family meeting commencing!"

Yuri flicks a grape at JJ's forehead. Leo sighs. Otabek keeps his face perfectly composed as he holds Rosie, giggling at her father's expression. Even Isabella snorts a little under her breath.

"Thank you, Yuri, for that. Anyway, this came in the mail," JJ waves a scroll around and unrolls it. "Annual summer solstice is coming up and the capital's holding a big festival! We're invited to come and mingle around for the weekend," He claps his hands, "So who's going with me?"

"Pass," Otabek immediately says, rising from his chair to hand Rosie to Guang-Hong. JJ (and Yuri, by extent) gapes at him like a fish.

"You can't _not_ come!"

"I didn't come during my self imprisonment, they can't force me," If Yuri weren't so curious about this whole festival thing and the opportunity to kick one of Michele's lackies' nose, he'd be laughing since Otabek rarely pulls out his _I'm-a-god_ card. "I don't like crowds anyway."

"They have your favorite food!" JJ yells at Otabek's retreating back going up the staircase. "Your favorite drinks!"

Then, JJ turns to Yuri, "You have to make him go."

He turns red from the sudden attention shifting onto him, "What makes you think I can convince him?"

"You're his—" JJ waves a hand. "—Everything. Regalia. Blessed vessel. Spirit whom he saved a long time ago and again recently. Nikolai was his best and last Regalia and you're Nikolai's grandson. You're pretty damn special to him."

This news is new to him, but Yuri narrows his eyes and slinks away, promising to try and change his mind as JJ whoops and starts to write back on the scroll to RSVP. He goes up the stairs and winds up on the second floor level, tip toeing to Otabek's bedroom as he peers in through the half-open door to see the man in question bent over his desk.

"Good timing," He says once Yuri crosses the doorway. He doesn't look up but moves himself to make room, drawing another chair up. "I'm replying to the prayers."

In Otabek-speak, he wants Yuri to help him reply. The mountain of papers teetering on the table makes Yuri gulp, but he sits down anyway and grabs a brush.

They work in silence for the better half of the hour, and Yuri's sure Otabek has overlaid some noise cancelling barrier over the door since he can't hear Isabella and JJ yell at the hockey game showing on the TV from below.

"Wouldn't you throw balance off if you wish everyone luck?" Yuri asks out of curiosity. He folds the one he's on in half and adds it to the completed pile.

"I'm not weaving my powers into any of these, it's up to them to believe if they can do it."

"...So you're essentially administering a placebo effect."

"Yes," Otabek pauses. "Unless it's something important."

"Like?"

"...A treaty. Any situation that would benefit our world politically to avoid more fights in the future. In that regard, yes I can exert some influence of victory, but not as much as others hope for. Though I know the outcomes, there's still many who think they can be smart and work their way around what happens in the end."

"But doesn't the future always change? The future is dependent on your decisions, so wouldn't the future always be changing?"

"...When I first met you lying on the snow, right before I made the decision to pick you up, I saw the future of you being my Regalia suffering with a rosetting fever."

"...You what?"

Otabek turns to look at him, "There's two ways to interpret that vision. The first: you become my Regalia and get rosetting fever. The second: you do not become my Regalia and in turn, don't get sick," He then looks away, frowning.

"You left me," Yuri whispers, and Otabek flinches in reply. "But I still got the rosetting fever and became your Regalia regardless of the future you saw."

"And that's your answer. You can interpret the vision however you want, but the future will happen one way or another regardless of which events occurs first. I wanted to respect Nikolai's wish, so I left without saying goodbye to prevent you from following me. I thought your eventual hatred and anger for me was enough to make you lose interest in me, but you still contracted the fever and because of circumstances, if I didn't want you to end up being my Regalia, I had to save you."

"You didn't have to save me."

Otabek looks at him with a strange look, "What do you mean?"

All the anger and frustration surfaces in his voice, his choice of words, "You already saved me once, you didn't have to save me again and go through all that trouble. I'm like a magnet for death apparently. Not any spirits survive a rosetting fever from what Minako said," Yuri puts the brush down and glares at the current prayer he's on, a student hoping to pass his final classes. "I know I was the one who pushed for the Regalia position, but it doesn't seem like you want me around."

When there's no reply, Yuri sighs and stands up.

Isabella and JJ don't look from the television. Yuri passes them and goes outside, choosing to sit on one of the two lawn chairs and prevent his burning eyes from escalating into something worse.

He sniffs and wipes his eyes roughly.

A jacket is draped over his shoulder, the stranger deciding to sit next to Yuri, facing another direction. When Yuri sees the telltale curve of Otabek's shoulders, he releases a half laugh.

"What do you want, Otabek?"

"...Beka. It's a nickname I prefer."

"Well fuck you," Yuri does one of the things he's excellent at, and draws a box of tissues out of thin air after spending too many years watching romantic comedies with Victor and Yuuri during one of their rare down times. "You must think I'm so stupid—"

"I think you're too kind, really," He interrupts. "And you have a lot of patience considering I didn't know how you felt about these things. I caused you a lot of worry, I can see that."

JJ's words echoes in his head, "Everyone in that house thinks I'm something special to you."

No hesitation, "You are."

_"Then why?"_

"Because...I don't know...how to be in love."

Yuri feels the warmth emitting from the jacket and his chest. Otabek doesn't seem to have caught his slip up yet, it's then that he realizes Otabek had forgone shoes and is barefoot, meaning that he must have teleported next to him immediately, "You've never?"

"I'm a war god," He says neutrally, "We don't have the luxury to fall in love or pursue relationships."

"You said it again. Love," His voice has gone from something that had made Otabek face forward this entire time to something soft and unguarded.

" _Zhanym_ ," The god says. He turns so he can pick Yuri's hand and place it above his heart, drawing him closer until Yuri can feel the words against the shell of his ear, "Means soul. It's also an endearment, _suiktim_."

Otabek's beating heart feels like Yuri's after he's run laps around the rink back at home, his coach screaming at him to push another mile. It feels nostalgically human and reminds Yuri that no matter what, gods are not all knowing and they're—

They're human.

Otabek makes a surprised oof when Yuri drives his entire body weight onto him so they collapse on the lawn chair, "Speak a word and I'll shave your head," Yuri threatens.

The god says nothing but moves Yuri until he's pressed snug against his chest. Yuri doesn't have enough strength to ask if Otabek's mouth is brushing his hairline before he shuts his eyes and drifts off in his arms.

In the afternoon when Yuri wakes up in Otabek's room, warm and feeling content, he peels his eyes back to see him lazily stroking his hair.

"Didn't sleep?"

"I wasn't that tired," Otabek murmurs, twirling a piece of Yuri's bangs, shirtless. Yuri likes this sleeping accommodation. "I napped for a few hours, but I like this better. Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"You're a disgusting sap."

Otabek flicks the tip of his nose playfully, "That's not how you speak to a god."

"Bite me," Yuri says without thinking, before he regrets his words and takes them back. "I—"

Beka, the fearsome god of victories, the only one who can stomach whatever creative juices JJ makes for them in the morning, throws his head to the side and laughs before rolling over. He snakes his arms around Yuri from behind, smiling into the crook of his neck, "You missed breakfast, so we should go down and get lunch."

"Okay," Yuri says, accepting Otabek's offered hand before kissing his knuckles, laughing when pink blooms across his cheeks.

In a weeks' time, the Leroy-Yang-de-la-Iglesia-Ji-Altin-Plisetsky household will clean the Toronto house top to bottom before going to the capital of the Middle world. Yuri will expect a calm vacation, maybe a little travelling around if time permits. There will be no fighting or nose-breaking of any kind.

Or he hopes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i stumbled across a writer's block halfway into writing this, and found no energy to complete it. however, i thought it should be finished. it's not what i originally wanted, but the ending stays true to what i imagined it to be when i first started this AU.
> 
> credits to starkysnarks, who helped me immensely with the endearment drunk (and sober) beka throws around.  
> armanym: my dream  
> kok köz: green/blue eyed one
> 
> ***TW: major and minor character death, blood, bad wounds***

A puff of white explodes in front of his face, and Yuri coughs by reflex, eyes watering as JJ snorts. 

"Nice!" He crows, snatching the dangly earrings that had come out of the prize cracker he tugged with Otabek. While Yuri wheezes and tries to regain his surroundings, JJ has swept his braid aside and clipped them to his ear lobes. "What do you think, Becky?"

True to Madina's word, the capital of the Middle threw a large festival for them. Yuri wasn't sure how he's still able to eat after sampling hundreds of bites here and there, the long table covered with spirits, wines, small dumplings, soups, puddings, ambrosia, and a collection of the strange fauna and flora that grew in the Middle. The main course was watching Madina and several of Otabek's cousins cartwheel across the palace floors, dancing with fire dragons, the materials of their costume skirting the flames.

"Yoohoo, Becky!" JJ waves his hand in front of Otabek's face, which has gone blank to its neutral setting. "Do you not like the feathery earrings on Yuri? I think they suit him."

"Hm," Otabek grunts, cheeks slightly flushed from the wine. Yuri has lost count how many cups Seung-gil has discreetly refilled for him after the second hour, and as such, his eyes are slightly unfocused. "You look stunning, _armanym_."

Seung-gil chokes on a dumpling. JJ's eyes tears up in happiness and Isabella squeals. 

"I've never seen him this drunk on ambrosia and spirits before," A cool yet amused voice sings. Yuri turns around to see Madina kneel down, squeezing between him and Guang Hong who has long knocked out from the wine. She has changed out of the fire dancing costume and is wearing a simple set of dark green robes that compliments her. The color, Yuri notes, is lighter than Otabek's, though it has the same design on the front. A family crest maybe. "Would you be able to carry him to his room later?"

Yuri doubts it, but whatever, he can drag Otabek's drunk ass to a horizontal surface before leaving him there, "Yes."

"We've set your rooms next to each other anyway, usually it doesn't happen like that but," She shrugs and gives a _what-can-you-do?_ smile. "We couldn't let you sleep with the other Regalias on the second floor."

Yuri blinks, "Oh it's fine, I don't need special accommodations."

Seung-gil, who has finished reviving Leo and is on his way to resurrecting Guang Hong, snorts, "She's trying to say that since you two are in a relationship, it's only proper that your bedrooms are next to each other's."

"I-It's not like that!" Yuri splutters, whipping to see Madina trying to hide a grin into her sleeve. JJ starts to hoot with laughter. "We don't have a physical relationship! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT YOU NASTIES!"

JJ wipes a tear, "Look at Otabek, you've made him sad."

Yuri turns his head and sees Otabek jut his bottom lip slightly. Madina erupts in a fit of giggles, and Seung-gil loses it and excuses himself from the table to laugh it off. Yuri looks around for help and finds Isabella trying to hold in her laughter as Roy and Rosie eat  their ice creams. JJ has whipped out his phone and has a shit eating grin stretched from ear to ear.

"I didn't mean it like that," He tries to comfort Otabek, receiving a deeper pout. Some of Otabek's dragon dancing cousins start giggling at them from the other table. Yuri's only glad that Zarina isn't here. "Come on, Beka, I didn't mean it like that."

"Who knew you could harbor such intent towards me? Madina, I'm sad."

Madina deserves an Oscar for how quick she composes her face, "It's such a shame you're sad. You know, dear brother, it's getting late. You should retire to bed soon."

Otabek lurches to his feet a little unsteadily and has to hold Yuri's shoulder for balance as Madina also stands up. Yuri looks critically at their robes, wondering if it'll be a death trap when Otabek inevitably steps on them and becomes one with the palace tiles.

"Seung-gil and I will take care of them," Madina waves her hand in the general direction of their party. Her eyes are bright and mischievous. "Good night, you two."

Yuri could only scowl at her as he starts tugging Otabek out of the room. The hallways are empty, but there are several lanterns that are floating by the door. When Yuri starts walking away, two of them break off from the main group and shoots ahead to illuminate the path. 

"Too hot," Otabek mumbles as they slip outside. Yuri has no mercy on him and continues to drag him until they reach the guest residence, entering the first floor and hustling Otabek towards the left. One of the lanterns stays put at the door, dimming its light.

"You've made yourself into the laughing stock of your entire family," Yuri grumbles as he corrals Otabek to the bed and starts to take off the layers upon layers of formal robe they all wore for dinner. The Yuuri in his head admonishes him for leaving them to crinkle on the floor, so he picks them up and hangs them on a nearby rack. Otabek hums a faint agreement, already crawling under the covers of his massive bed.

When Yuri has finished taking his robes off, carefully placing the feathered earrings with complex beading on a bedside table, he gives one last look at the lump on the bed before going for the door.

"Yuri," Otabek calls, voice soft. "Stay."

"Needy," Is what Yuri tells him when he climbs into the bed, claiming his own pillow.

Otabek shifts until he's spooning him from behind, prickly chin brushing against his neck, "My family doesn't see me often," He says. "So it's alright if I act like a drunken god."

"You're very cuddly," Yuri suspiciously points out. "Is it because of the drinks?"

"Perhaps."

"They should send us some of the spirits then."

"It's toxic."

"Alcohol is toxic, dumbass. Haven't your learned how it eats away the mucus in your stomach?"

"S'okay. Sleep now."

Yuri scowls into the darkness but gives into the pull. 

* * *

"Yuri!"

He sees Phichit walk towards him with several attendants following him, and waves from the dining table.

"Lunch? Where's everyone?" A roll of bread starts buttering itself as Phichit ladles some soup from the big pot. His attendants, which look oddly like giant hamsters, line up to one side of the room.

"Some meeting thing," Their first morning in the capital had been rudely interrupted by the bed flinging them to the floor, Madina kicking the door down as she whisked a bleary Otabek to court, hissing furiously about an audience with Zarina and several other gods. "Beka forgot to wake up."

"Ah yea, mornings start early here, I guess he's not used to it. Are you doing anything after lunch?"

"No?"

"Good! I want you to meet some people! Let's go!" Phichit drags him out the room in a flurry of robes and cheery smiles, his lunch all but forgotten. 

* * *

They hear Yuri and Phichit shrieking in the gardens as Mila entertains them with bending water from the palace ponds. Sitting from the balcony to enjoy the afternoon sun with frost glittering on the rooftops, Otabek hides a yawn as Zarina scowls at the racket below.

"How carefree," She tuts. Chris smiles into his cup of tea, trading his flashy street-clothes for the stifling court robes as they go over the campaign reports from last year. "What reminds me, brother—" Otabek snaps to attention, "—our people haven't seen you perform a sword dance for a very long time, will you do one before you leave?"

Otabek looks at the flower petals slowly dancing in his cup of tea, trying to form an answer that won't offend her. Right now she's not his sister but a god that represents the Middle, "It has been quite some time since I last performed it."

"Georgi and Michele can join you. It will do them some good to get rid of their excess energy," Zarina puts it mildly. Under her eyelashes, Otabek sees their death in her eyes. "They've been restless lately. The other day, Michele skipped court and Georgi came in with his nose broken."

"Curious," Otabek manages to say without breaking a rib in laughter. "I wonder what got them worked up."

"Indeed, so will you consider it?"

"Yuri is not used to performing in his Regalia form."

Zarina's mask slips slightly, and she shoots him a flat look, "Beka, please tell me you've fought with him as your Regalia before."

Otabek sips more of his tea. 

Zarina breathes in deeply through her nose and sighs, "Speaking as a god and not as your sister, I hope this won't effect the way you fight on the battlefield."

"Yuri is competent, Seung-gil personally trained him."

"Great, then we'll set a date for the exhibition," He walked right into that one. Sourly, he shoots Zarina a look as Chris pulls up a new piece of paper and starts scrawling the new details. The rest of the meeting passes without any incident, save from a few glares of several minor war gods that bounces off his head.

He's wandering the palace grounds, trying to avoid the lanterns that follow guests after darkness became evident. Walks, or at least, doing something repetitive with his body, brings some comfort to him. He isn't surprised if there's an indent of his pacing tendencies in the Toronto home.

A familiar looking cat-like creature made out of smoke bounds out of a nearby bush and winds itself around his ankles. He bends down to scratch Madina's pet before a rustle scares it.

"Oh! Beka!"

Otabek looks at Tonki's form melting away and Yuri's slightly crestfallen expression, "Were you chasing it?"

"I've never seen it before. I used to have a cat back home," At this, Yuri looks even sadder, "I wonder what happened to Sasha after I died. Did you just get off that hideously long meeting?"

Otabek spreads his arms out and Yuri blinks before going for a hug. His brain momentarily short circuits before he remembers how to work his arms.

"...You weren't going for a hug were you?"

"I was trying to show that I still have my formal robes on," He mumbles into Yuri's neck. "But this is okay."

Yuri swats him lightly, "Sap." 

Otabek takes his hand and brushes his lips over his knuckles when they separate, heading back towards the guest residences, "Am I doing this right?"

"W-What?"

"This thing. Relationship thing," He pointedly looks away from Yuri when he swivels his head as his ears have already betrayed him. Then he remembers his sister's craftiness. "Yuri, I need to tell you something." 

"Is it something about a sword dance? Phichit introduced me to a spirit today who works under your older sister and she said that you used to do exhibitions when you lived here."

"They're wondering if I wanted to do one before leaving, though Zarina was insistent on it. Did Mila—" Yuri's eyebrows shoots up at this, "—oh, I was around when she passed into the Middle. Did Mila tell you what it consists of?"

"You need a Regalia for the dance," Yuri starts to swing their hands. "Sounds interesting, why not try it? It can't be that hard for me, I'm just going to be a sword. Please tell me your partner is Michele so I can break his nose."

" _Yuri_ ," He admonishes.

Yuri brushes off his worries, "The sword dance sounds fun, I'm in."

* * *

"There's trouble stirring up from the western borders," Madina greets him as she enters the large practice room deep in the heart of the palace. He continues to use a wooden sword and goes through the steps methodically, retracing the steps he had once taken together with Nikolai during his last exhibition. As Nikolai's form was a kindjal, it's very fitting as Yuri is a shashka.

"Our borders or?"

"Both. There's political turmoil brewing in Here and the wards in the Middle need to be updated. Monsters from the After are starting to trickle in and it's affecting the little cities in the outskirts of the capital. It'll be worrying if one gets loose inside our gates."

Otabek stops and turns around, giving her a smile, "You'll prevent that from happening, won't you?"

Madina sticks her tongue out, "Of course! I'm not the protector for nothing!" She's wearing normal clothes, so it must mean that Zarina isn't in court today. Otabek goes back to his sequence, movement falling together like walking through a previous home, familiar and nostalgic. 

The palace is bustling on the day of his performance. He's been told beforehand that his partner would be Michele, and he would be using Emil as his Regalia. Otabek doesn't expect him to use any other Regalia, but old gossip are for spirits that like to stir up trouble.

Yuri sits on steps of the front courtyard, watching some smaller hamster spirits float in the air to wrap lights around the pillars. Otabek is overlooking several broomsticks as they sweep every nook and cranny as his cousins start dangling lanterns from the nearby roofs.

"You never told me what we were going to wear."

"He'll be in his traditional war armor!" Taza, a cousin, shouts as he dangles upside down. A nearby cousin yelps and tugs him back before he knocks down the lanterns she'd strung. "It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen! Michele's got nothing on him style wise!"

" _Taza!_ "

"Oh relax, Riza!"

The curve of Yuri's mouth curls up, "I've never seen you in formal battle wear before."

Otabek goes to sit next to him, having decided that the broomsticks are well behaved, "I've never gotten the chance."

Taza pops up next to them, cheery grin stretched from ear to ear, "Boy, if you think his traditional armor is cool, wait until he goes into god mode and obliterates everything in his pa—"

"Thank you, Taza," Otabek cuts him off. Skillfully, he steers Yuri back into the palace doors. "Let's get dressed."

Yuri turns to him with a wide, almost gleeful grin, "Did I hear he say that you obliterate everything in your path?"

"Taza likes to exaggerate," They pass the private gardens and avoid a collision with a wicker basket carrying towels from the basement floors. They separate at their respective bedrooms with a promise to go down the festival together.

He carefully slips the under robe around him, medium tan in colour before slipping on a darker colour on top of that. The pants that go beneath his robes are black and slimmed so he can tuck them easily in his boots. The shoulder and chest piece of the armor seems to hum when he maneuvers it over himself, settling nicely across his chest as he grabs a deep green, sleeveless outer robe. That gets held in place by a bronze and gold belt. His forearm guards goes last as with his finger-less gloves.

His hand goes to his side and he smiles briefly when he doesn't hit Nikolai's scabbard.

"Beka! Is this how I'm suppose to wear this?!"

Yuri peeks through the doors separating their rooms and blinks at his form, looking stunted.

"Yes?" Otabek smiles. He slowly moves forward and tilts his head up slightly when he's close enough to see the green flecks in Yuri's eyes. "It's different than what I usually wear."

Otabek is used to Yuri talking at a mile a minute, so this new change is noticeable, "It looks...good."

"Hm?" He prompts further.

Yuri turns pink and looks away, "It looks really good. Everything here is tailored really nicely...and stuff. Anyway," He turns back to face him and gestures to the misshapen fabric around his waist. "I don't know how to tie this."

"It's complicated," Otabek sympathizes as he loosens the knot. His arm encircles Yuri and he tries to bite back a smile when he realizes his sisters have placed Yuri all in gold. 

_Altyn_. Altin.

"What are you smiling about?"

Otabek tightens the knot, "Nothing. You look dashing," He looks up in time to see Yuri snort. "What?"

"You—" Laughing, "—You really sound so old, you know. No one says words like dashing anymore," Yuri, without realizing it, has turned older. Otabek only notices it now in the crinkles at the corners of his eyes when he smiles, and then there's a familiar feeling of loss and somberness because Yuri will not be immortal forever. 

Otabek kisses him when Yuri finishes, tip toeing the last few inches and brushing their lips together. Yuri's ponytail has one of the feathered hair pieces Madina lent him so it dangles, elongating his hair. There's a bell on the leather tie holding his hair together, and it jingles when Yuri moves back, pecking Otabek's cheek.

They both entwine their hands together, leaving the room.

Michele, once they see him on standby behind the curtains separating the front courtyard and actual palace grounds, is dressed in purple, Emil already whizzing through the air as Michele lazily spins his broadsword. He gives them a curt nod and an evil eye.

Otabek elbows Yuri in the ribs before he can say any smart comment about Michele's slightly crooked nose. Yuri in turn, step on his toes.

"Nice night for a festival," Emil says cheerfully, transforming back and extending a hand to shake. "Good to see you, Otabek."

"Likewise. How are you doing?" The small pleasantries stop soon when the crowd outside falls quiet and the curtains part by themselves.

When they step out, the only light that comes to shine on the floors are the ones from the lanterns and the low hanging red moon above them. He falls into place and bows at the waist as Michele does the same before raising their swords.

Somewhere, he hears a Regalia draw a breath at the sudden drumming. He dances backwards, spinning and striking into a lunge as he meets Michele halfway, the power of the strike rattling through his bone. Otabek searches ahead in the future for a sign—

—A half step to the side, as practiced, a duck. Three lunges forward, parry, block, block, swing, swing.

He knows the foul play before it happens and pushes Michele's dominant arm back with more force than necessary. Emil is nearly flung out of Michele's hands, and with their faces pressed this close together, Otabek leans closer, "Don't even try."

Michele snorts a little but pushes back. The last few movements are filled with the drums increasing in tempo and volume before Otabek runs past Michele and swings his right arm backward. 

Emil is an inch away from his exposed neck, and Yuri is a hairbreadth away from the vein running down Michele's neck.

Otabek straightens and reverts Yuri back to his human form, catching him around the elbow as he stumbles, eyes bright.

"That," Yuri says between the applause and cheers, "Was cool!"

Otabek is relieved that he managed to avoid a disaster while letting Yuri enjoy himself, "I'm glad," He looks at the crowd for a moment, bowing his head before making his way back behind the curtain as the next performer comes on stage to wrap up the week-long festival the capital threw in their visit. "How was going against Emil?"

"Great! Every time I met him it was as if there was electricity running down my arm," The bell accessory on Yuri's hair jingles every time they take a step back into the palace, going to their rooms to do a quick costume change before joining the streets for the last night of the festival. 

Yuri is all smiles and excitement as Otabek spends the night looking at him race ahead with Mila and Phichit in tow amongst the other Regalias and gods, nursing a cup of nectar as he looks at the mountains, searching for the sign of the weak wards that hold their city safe. When his eyes rake over the tallest mountain, watching the white mist ooze around its summit, he frowns.

JJ slings an arm around him, jolting him back towards the present, "You can worry about that later."

"JJ." 

"Festivals are for celebrating," He admonishes, leading their entire group towards one of the squares where Sara's fingers are a blur over a stringed instrument. Otabek doesn't miss the way Mila's eyes shine in delight when they squeeze into the square filled with dancers. "And for dancing with your loved one. Do you think you and Yuri can beat Isabella and I in the tango?"

"Otabek!" Phichit calls over, holding Mila's hand as his drink and festival food hovers beside his head. Several light spirits floats beside his head, throwing pinks and greens across his cheeks, "Come join us!"

Otabek turns to JJ with a hopeless smile, "It's not like you gave me a choice."

JJ throws back his head and laughs as his children run up to him and grab onto his legs, "There's always a choice! It's whether you want to acknowledge it. This time around, I'm telling you to dance!"

Otabek lets himself be pulled into the crowd, smiling as Yuri takes his cup away from him and swings him around, hand warm on his waist as they press closer to each other.

* * *

Waking up comes in the form of his consciousness slowly returning to him. His toes are unsurprisingly cold ever since coming back to the mortal world, and where in the past he could stretch out in his bed, a warm body occupies it with him now, chest gently rising up and down as the first streak of the sun glimmers over the top of the blinds. Yuri sleeps deeply for a spirit, but Otabek muses that he hasn't gotten rid of his human habit and no one at the onsen ever bothered to tell him that he doesn't require to run on eight hours of sleep.

A war treaty, the newest one for the northern borders, is sitting on his desk, waiting for him to revise it. While Chris is a joy to host during his visits, the news he brings are usually of duties Otabek must perform. They usually involve peace and an ever-looming threat of a full out war.

Seung-gil had visited last night alone without his Regalias flanking him. Otabek had poured him the last bottle of the spirits from Madina's welcome party and joined the war god as they sat next to each other, lost in their own thoughts. Their last campaign to Uruk had Seung-gil grieving afterwards for the Regalias he'd lost.

"They were family," He'd mumbled dully, looking at the golden sparks fizzing in his drink. He fiddled with the mourning rings strung on a chain of silver hanging from his neck. "They were my best friends and siblings."

Yuri's breathing starts to pick up a little, and Otabek allows himself to be man-handled into a body pillow as Yuri buries his face into the crook of his neck, mumbling, "Good morning," Otabek rolls over and kisses him, pulling the blanket over them as Yuri opens his eyes and lazily sucks another mark on his neck.

Afterwards, Otabek creatively arranges his scarf to hide any purples on his neck and collarbones as they assemble in JJ's office, Chris looking distinctly unhappy as his thumbs flies over the keyboard of his phone in a blur. Seung-gil is present in all black, looking out of the large windows at Rosie and Roy running in the backyard with the pool fenced off. Isabella is watching them outside, mouth turned down.

JJ sighs as he passes some reports coming in through Chris's phone, "It got worse. I'm going to ask Michele and Georgi for some help."

The mockery isn't there in Seung-gil's voice, "Stretched out too thin, Leroy?" 

JJ smiles at Seung-gil, albeit tiredly, "I'm sorry."

Seung-gil shrugs, "You can't control it, after all," They launch into a discussion about rations and the nearest teleportation point that's safe and not laid with traps. Otabek stays silent throughout, since his presence is a formality and he usually isn't needed unless the situation has escalated.

"You'll be there right?" JJ turns to him, a moment of weakness showing as a king goes into battle without his right hand. Maybe it was because his death was still a fresh thing in his memory, and the one time that Otabek didn't pay close enough attention and left JJ unguarded for too long resulted in a reincarnation.

He wouldn't want to put Isabella under such pain again, especially not with Rosie and Roy around. Otabek bows his head, "I'll be there."

For all of Yuri's excitement about going to war as his Regalia since they first met each other, Otabek packs up his clothes quietly with restricted movements of someone who knows where everything in their room is placed, moving on autopilot. It's been some time since he fought with a Regalia at his side. Going bare handed is considered vulgar, but all of them had been alone at one point.

Yuri comes into his room a few hours before they're set to leave, eyes guarded but bright with excitement. Otabek's been distracted all day long, so he's not surprised when Yuri has to pull him to his bed when words don't penetrate his head.

"Worried?"

Otabek releases a sigh where his head is nestled into the crook of Yuri's neck, "You're rather good at reading me now."

"Is that a backhanded compliment? Of course I'd be good at reading you after years," Yuri strokes the freshly-shaven parts of his undercut. Otabek closes his eyes, a feeling of drowsiness overcoming him. "Is it the battlefield? Have you been away for too long?"

"Battles don't scare me. Bringing you into one does."

"I'll be fine," Yuri says without hesitation.

"...You used to have nightmares when we first met while I was staying at the onsen," Otabek mumbles, "I used to stay up and leave my door open so you wouldn't feel as lonely if you woke up. I think you dreamed about your grandfather more than once. He would be worried if he was here."

Yuri stills, "What was my grandpa like?"

"He was very kind," Otabek recalls slowly, turning his head to the side. "He was very good at keeping things in order, he often complained that I was too clean and that he couldn't help me with any of the lesser duties. As a Regalia, he was a sword just like you, and we often would practice with each other during war campaigns to keep the other gods and Regalias on their toes."

"...He was your best friend."

"He was a companion and a family, he taught me many things I didn't know," He flicks Yuri's forehead.

"Ow!"

Otabek sits up and looms over him slightly, "I don't want to you thinking that you have to be better than your grandfather. Nikolai was with me for centuries. We learned how work with each other through trial and error."

Yuri crosses his arms and looks off to the side, low bun spilling over the nape of his neck and over one shoulder, "I don't want to be baggage. It'l be embarrassing if I just sat at camp all day long while you all fight."

"I hope it doesn't come to fighting. There's a still a chance that my presence there will sway things around," It usually does. It happened more often than not, but with Yuri's presence, some gods may want to test him despite the treaties. He cups Yuri's face, thumb brushing his jawline as Yuri blinks at him slowly.

"Is there something else?"

"You might..." He trails off. "Be challenged by the other Regalias on camp. Seung-gil and I won't be the only war gods there," He trails his fingers down Yuri's hand and brings it up, kissing the knuckles. "Please be careful, _armanym_." 

* * *

"Everyone ready?" JJ asks, standing around with armor strapped around his chest. Otabek sees Rosie sniffle into Isabella's neck as Roy scuffs the ground with his shoes. Isabella is seeing them off as the sun sets, worry lining her mouth as JJ rubs her shoulders before giving his children a final hug and kiss on their head.

He rubs absent circles on Yuri's hand as Leo and Guang Hong fiddle with the straps of their backpacks.

Isabella comes forward, grabbing Otabek's hand. Her touch is clammy.

"Promise me," She begins. "Promise me you won't leave him to die again."

"I'll do whatever it takes," He squeezes the hand on his wrist as the ground within the circle they're standing in starts to light up. Ozone and metal crackles in the air as he slowly pushes Isabella's hand back. "I won't let you down."

Then, she vanishes.

He feels Yuri's nails dig into his hand as they're sucked away into the vortex, travelling from one dimension to the next. For one long moment, he feels weightless, like floating in a pool just with his consciousness clinging when he tugs Yuri into his arms and land firmly on the burning ground.

Guang Hong rushes forward and waves his hand, neutralizing the fire landscape as Seung-gil calls upon his Regalia to create an air bubble around them as they see a figure jog towards them.

Mila has soot around her nose, "JJ!"

JJ runs up to her, sparks spitting from his fingertips, "What's with this?!"

"It's been like this for a while!" Mila yells over the flames eating everything around them. She has a thin layer of water all around her, looking like a humanoid mist as the heat keeps vaporizing the film of water. "They called upon the thunder gods!"

" _I'm_ a thunder god," Otabek hears JJ mumble darkly, "How dare they use this?"

Mila shrugs but points in the direction she came from. A wiggle from his arms reminds him that Yuri is still in his arms. Otabek frees him and drops behind to close their party, warily looking in all directions for an incoming attack as Yuri streaks ahead and follows Seung-gil.

"Everything okay?" He mumbles when Seung-gil's two Regalias fall into their place next to him.

"No enemies spotted," One says somberly.

He nods, and follows their little group as they wade through the fire until they reach camp, the ground becoming sooty instead of filled with burning vegetation. Base camp is a strongly enchanted collection of tents with a large golden dome laid with protection over it. As they trickle in, Otabek rubs the back of his neck as Yuri's Regalia name tingles.

He leaves Yuri under Mila's hands as he follows JJ to the largest tent, drawing the flap away as Seung-gil follows. Inside, his sister looks up, imperial armor wrapped around her forearms as she paces back and forth in a t-shirt and black pants.

"Zarina."

"It's good to see you again," She greets when they come closer. "There's going to be another meeting with the spirits tomorrow."

"What do they want?" Seung-gil flatly asks. "We can't retract our borders anymore. Every year the capital city expands and there's nothing we can do."

"They want a little of Mount Kul."

"No," Otabek says abruptly.

"Of course we declined," Zarina takes a short dagger, the blade gleaming with galaxies as the hilt glows in her hands, and starts to twirl it into the air. "The birth place of gods cannot fall under their hands."

JJ looks down at the map of the Middle, watching the green forests shimmer with light as the area around their camp burns, little flames licking his fingertips as he prods the fire gently. The light dances across the bridge of his nose and illuminates the strain in his eyebrows. "What do you want us to do?"

A pause.

"Whatever it takes to make them stop." 

* * *

Right after the war treaty was delivered, Otabek spent a few days in the Middle at the onsen forging armor for Yuri.

It's not imperial made, nothing like the one he was born with, inlaid with sacred stones and sigils that make him near indestructible, but he immersed himself into the work, stoking the blue fire in the rivers near Mount Kul to melt the metal compounds. He lets the metal cool under the red moon before carving Yuri's name onto every piece.

It came down to a fight.

Otabek forces his way through the tight knit crowd, watching Yuri being restrained by Emil as one of Michele's Regalia spits. Emil is shouting something in another language, cracks and splintering coming out of his mouth and Yuri coughs up blood. Mila is standing between Yuri and Michele's Regalia, palms burned. Her eyes are watering.

Otabek's ear starts to ring as Michele's Regalia splutters when he catches sight of him.

He makes his way towards them, stopping in front of Mila and writing a healing sigil on both her palms before facing Yuri.

" _Zhanym_ ," Seung-gil's Regalias are shouldering through the crowd, eyes wild and searching as they were the last ones to see him in the main tent before Otabek felt his Regalia mark burn and left his sister hanging as she was explaining tactics. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Yuri croaks as he steps closer and frowns. "Really, I'm okay, Beka."

Otabek pushes lightly against Yuri's wrist, growling when Yuri yelps.

"Yuri," He hisses.

"He lost," Michele's Regalia states boldly, limping forward. Otabek remembers his name as Alfonso. "It came down to whoever could make a boundary line the fastest. A weak Regalia such as him shouldn't be under you."

"I don't recall that you were the one who made decisions around here."

"No, but as the god of victories and war, you don't need him."

Otabek nods, slowly, "And as one of Michele's Regalia, your ill-temperament brings a bad image to him," He doesn't wait for a reaction and scoops Yuri up against his chest, the crowd parting ways for him as several minor gods watch from their tents nearby.

Otabek puts Yuri down once he reaches his tent and pulls the flap down, blocking the sound of fire burning outside the protection dome and murmurs. It only holds two mats on the floor, and he gently props Yuri's head on a pillow before pulling his wrist towards him and starting the healing process.

"I'll be having a word with Michele," He loosens the armor around Yuri's chest and gently presses against his ribs, feeling them shift slightly as Yuri winces. It's another few curses as he helps Yuri out of his shirt, rubbing the red welts on his skin from Alfonso's attack.

"I should have kicked his ass."

"Alfonso has been with Michele long before Nikolai was ever with me, you couldn't match up to his skills in the amount of time Seung-gil had trained you, _armanym_ ," He quickly digs into his backpack and pulls out a black case, loosening the latch and pulling out bottles of rare ingredients as Yuri watches him mix those into a paste with more force than necessary. "Alfonso is a rare find, a spirit who can inflict pain onto others."

"Couldn't Mila also do that?"

"Mila works well with water, an element. Alfonso's branch of abilities lies outside what a normal spirit can do. It's likely that he was born out of envy or hatred for him to be the way he is right now," He rips up a few pieces of Rencha and adds them into the clay bowl, crushing them together into a peach colored paste that he smears over Yuri's welts. They sink into his skin immediately.

"...He called you names," Yuri quietly says.

Otabek continues rubbing the paste on Yuri's skin, grabbing several rolls of cloth to dress the wound before packing away the case and starting on Yuri's slightly broken ribs.

"He said you were unworthy."

"I appreciate your intentions, but they're not worth my time."

"I couldn't just let them call you unworthy!"

"I don't take it to heart," He shrugs. "Never had, never will."

"...I don't understand you," Yuri states, drawing the blanket further up and turning away from him. His voice is soft in the blackness of their tent. "Sometimes I don't understand you at all."

Otabek looks at Yuri's back for a moment or two before storming out of the tent. He marches back to his sister and assembles himself next to the circle of war gods, half hidden in the shadows as she frowns at him. He participates in the strategy meeting that occurs afterwards when all the Regalias are excused, and pulls Michele aside before he retires to bed.

Some time during the night, Otabek had wiggled over to Yuri, slipping a leg between his knees and burrowing under another blanket. Yuri's breathing is still even and light, and Otabek decides to slip out as quietly as possible, still closing his eyes as he extracts his cramped leg.

"Oi."

Flinching and rolling onto the tent's supporting pole, Otabek yelps as the ceiling shudders and collapses, the beams knocking into each other. There's a patter of feet on dry grass and several Regalias start to move the fabric and poles away.

It's Seung-gil who unearths them, offering a hand as Otabek blinks blearily, "Scared us. You two alright?"

"Sorry to bother you," Otabek mumbles. Yuri rubs his face and runs a hand through his hair, yawning. He looks at the poles and starts waving a hand, the metal beams assembling themselves as the nearby Regalias go back to their duties.

"You're wanted in the—"

"I know," Otabek nods. "Can you grab me breakfast?"

"Sure, I'll save you a seat," Seung-gil leaves with two of his Regalias trailing behind him, bowing their heads towards him and Yuri as they hurry towards the main tent. Otabek snaps his fingers together and sticks his arms out as his armor is set on him by themselves, straps tightening until Yuri grabs one out of the air and bends down, fastening it around his left leg.

"Yuri?"

He doesn't look up, "I can do this."

Otabek bends at his knees and wraps his hands around Yuri's.

Outside, they can hear Seung-gil and Michele rounding up the rest of the minor gods. They can see shadows passing over their tent as pairs of feet dig themselves in the earth, eventually making ways to gravel since the dry season is harsh. Yuri's hands are cold.

"I should keep my temper in check."

"Alfonso has admit to being wrong. He instigated the incident and riled you up on purpose," Otabek replies, brushing the stray strand of hair away. Yuri swallows. "I spent the night thinking about why you would be angry."

"I didn't want them to bad mouth you."

"I know. I appreciate it, but I don't take it to heart."

Yuri looks down, "Sorry," He looks like a miserable, and Otabek decides that he would face Zarina's wrath and quickly wraps his arms around Yuri and pulls.

"You're going to be late!" Yuri hisses at his chest, squirming. Otabek, with difficulty as he's restraining something very wriggly, snaps his fingers and his boots come flying from the entrance of the tent and starts lacing themselves. "Beka!"

"Thank you for worrying about my well-being," He says, kindness painting Yuri's face pink as he stills. Otabek places a few chaste kisses at the crown of his head. "Nikolai and the others never had to the heart to pick fights on my behalf."

"Otabek Altin!" His sister's voice comes magnified throughout the camp. "You have one minute, brother!"

He sighs through his nose and sits up, letting Yuri escape as he stands up and steals a kiss. His dagger is pressed to his chest and he tucks it in his thigh sheath.

"I'll see you later?" He asks, slightly unsure. 

Yuri is laughing, pushing him out the tent, "Yeah, go, go!"

* * *

When he was little, before he took over being the god of victory, he loved summers. There was something about the endless blue skies, not a cloud to hide the high hanging sun and endless rows of golden crops with large trees providing shade in the outskirts of the capital.

Now in the same outskirts, he rolls on the dirt, avoiding whips of fire against a female fire spirit as Seung-gil protects his back. JJ is within his field of view, and he grips his sword harder as he dives forward to block an attack.

Yuri hums as he jumps up and spins, catching his opponent in the jaws as they crumple to the ground, spitting out blood.

Anya, who had refused the treaty and is about to skewer Otabek, screeches as Seung-gil changes one of his Regalias into a staff and swings, the head meeting Anya's waist as she flies into the air and land with a heavy thump.

She rolls away as Yuri's edge meets rock instead, "Anya," He tries to reason, dodging the embers spitting out of her hands, "Anya you will lose. I've seen it."

"Did you? I wasn't aware that you're a fortune teller now!"

Otabek grits his teeth as she flicks a hand and a whip of fire catches his shoulders. Yuri is yelling in his head, and Otabek jumps back as JJ dashes forward, taking out Anya as she steadily becomes angrier.

He can hear Georgi wailing in the distance, restrained by Zarina as she claps an iron hand on his shoulders. He's breathing in dirt, the smoke from the fire spirits making him feel sluggish, and can feel Yuri slowly becoming exhausted as more bodies lie on the ground, god or not.

Anya glares at them, her right hand clutching a large cut courtesy of Otabek from an earlier scuffle, before running away.

JJ stops him by holding him back, frowning.

Otabek sees the lightning bolt strike the earth a split second before it occurs, and he swirls his hands, creating a rapid wave of air as JJ and Seung-gil are knocked back, flying past Zarina and Georgi as they land in a heap outside camp. 

Then, he ignores Yuri's screams and with all his might, throws the shashka away.

The lightning bolt strikes down from the heavens, and with it, rain falls as the ground below his feet cracks and Otabek raises his arms around his head to protect himself, his voice lost in the storm Anya brought when a bolt hits—

— _Yuri_. 

 

Seung-gil slaps him awake, and when he can taste ozone on his tongue, he jumps up, surprising the filed medic tending to his shallow cuts. What used to be a field covered in tall grass is now reduced bare, soot becoming mud as the rain continues. His eyes rake over every body lying on the field, every medic Regalia wearing their uniform as he looks for blond hair.

He's dropping to his knees, kicking up mud towards his sister when he grabs Yuri's unconscious hand and scans over his body, searching and searching.

Zarina pulls back the sheet covering Yuri's lower half, and Otabek registers the smell of singed flesh and watches the medic by his side continue to rub cream on the area surrounding the large wound. There's a clean hole where the bolt met skin, the white of bone confirms his worse thoughts and he dizzily sits back on his feet as another hassled looking medic drops down and starts tracing healing sigils on Yuri's body.

"You fool," He mumbles.

Yuri's eyes flutters open for a bit before closing again. Zarina crouches down and pats his hair almost pitifully, "He won't be the same. That wasn't a regular lightning bolt."

"Has Anya surrendered?"

"Yes."

He nods once, "Then that's good enough. Let me interrogate her. Bring her in front of the court," He makes move to stand up, but a hand stops him. Otabek looks up to see his sister's face pinched, "What?"

"You can't be part of the trial," She cuts his protests. "Beka, you know you can't be a part of it. He's your Regalia. Anya is entitled to a fair trial."

His tears mixes with the rain as he bites down on his lip and looks at Yuri's face, pale against someone's cloak. Zarina is right, of course, he can't be part of the trial. His words are law and it would be unfair.

"What good," He starts, "Am I as a god when people pray to me, devote their lives to me, when in the end, I can't protect the one I want to protect the most?"

When Yuri is stable enough to move, Otabek declines his sister's offer and moves Yuri to the onsen instead. Victor and Yuuri graciously prepares their room and leaves them alone for majority of the day. JJ drops by for a visit before he returns back to Canada and thanks him.

As if it were a lifetime ago, he settles back into the life he once had, going out to fetch his prayers in the mornings and soaking in the hot springs as the fishes swim near his head. He airs out the room and spoon feeds Yuri every meal, wiping his body down as the hole where the bolt struck him heals slowly.

Yuuri trims his undercut one day, and by chance, he wanders out into the backyard and sees a field of sunflowers, Victor bending over a large vegetable patch as he uproots some peanut plants and tosses them into a basket.

"Do you need help?"

Victor points to a collection of radishes and beams, conjuring a sunhat out of thin air and offering it to Otabek. They work diligently under the hot sun, moving towards several orange trees, their branches heavy with fruit as Otabek holds the ladder steady for Victor. He looks up at the endless blue skies and lets his mind wander.

It takes Yuri a season to learn how to stand up and walk, to support himself with two legs instead of Otabek as he hobbles downstairs for breakfast. Yuuri makes piroshkis stuffed with katsudon, Otabek whispering the ingredients and instructions earlier that week as Yuri's eyes water at the dish.

"How are Isabella and the kids?"

"They're graduating soon."

Yuri's green eyes widens, "It's been that long?"

Otabek looks up from his prayers, brush held in midair. To Yuri, he can only offer a small smile, "It has."

"High school or university?"

"High school."

Yuri kneads some dough in his hands, brows pulled in the middle as Otabek waits.

"I won't be the same again, will I?" There's a bubble of sad laughter. "I'll never be able to run without pain. I'll be confined to a bed on my worst days, and you.... You need a new Regalia, someone who can serve you properly."

"My criteria for Regalias must be that they're blond, ill-tempered, quick-tongued—" He dodges when Yuri's long arms attempt to poke him. "—have green eyes, broad shoulders, and be as willow and graceful as a dancer."

Yuri clucks, playing along, "Those are very specific requirements. How did my grandfather fit into those categories?"

"My taste changes once in a while," He offers Yuri a smile.

Yuri doesn't smile back, "Beka, you should look for a new one."

"I don't want to," He simply replies.

"Otabek!"

"Why would I want another one when I have you?" Otabek turns the question towards him.

"Was it not you who told me that being a Regalia is dangerous?" Yuri challenges. "You were the one who was reluctant."

He dips his brush into ink and sets it aside, coming around the table and taking Yuri's hands together. The large sunfish aimlessly swimming in the room zips away, and Otabek kisses each knuckle.

"You're worried you're not good enough anymore."

Yuri bares his teeth, "No shit. I—I'm forced to use a cane and I can't dress myself when it rains and the injury aches," He looks off to the side, "What would Grandpa say about me if he can see me? Probably be disappointed that I can't protect you to my abilities." 

"You _dove_ in front of a lightning strike to protect me," Otabek traces his Regalia's name on the back of his neck, "You took the hit that was meant for me— Yura, I was supposed to die that day. I saw it. I was supposed to be reincarnated," He looks up. "But someone flew in front of me, and prevented my death."

"...I couldn't let you die."

"And I refuse to take on another Regalia. Let the gods speak about me behind my back, I don't care. What matters is you."

Yuri punches him. Otabek coughs and rubs his chest, "A thank you would have sufficed."

"You're an idiot!"

"Thank you."

"That was _not_ a compliment!"

* * *

When Yuri gains enough mobility to help Victor with his garden, Otabek receives a letter.

He walks through the hallways of the Leroy household, Yuri by his side as his footsteps echo in the empty living room.

Leo and Guang Hong offer a nod when they enter the backyard, the pool fenced off as the night chill seeps into his bones. JJ and Seung-gil are bent over a lantern, JJ writing Isabella's name on a piece of paper before attaching it to the lantern.

The lantern is released and it floats, a beacon in the night sky as Otabek murmurs a prayer for her safe journey. Two faces he knew as children are standing next to JJ, and he belatedly realized that Rose and Roy have grown. 

"Uncle," Rose greets, a carbon copy of Isabella's eyes on her features.

He bows his head, and turns his head towards JJ, whose head is tilted back to watch the sky, "JJ. 

"Thank you for coming," It comes out hollow. Otabek nods and steps back, watching the lantern with the rest of the household until it becomes nothing more than a speck in the sky. Seung-gil guides JJ in and Otabek goes to the alcohol cabinet and brings out the bottles.

Leo waves and cups from the kitchen comes floating. They throw back a shot of ambrosia, Yuri, Roy and Rose gagging at the taste. To Otabek, it flows smoothly, and he discreetly passes Yuri some water before JJ lights a candle and walks over to the fire place mantle, placing it amongst their family pictures.

JJ looks at the fireplace for a moment before retiring to his bedroom. The rest of them spend the entire night at the living room, standing vigil and turning a deaf ear at the sobs coming from upstairs.

Seung-gil slips next to Otabek on the couch and hands him an envelope. He takes it without looking at his sister's update reports and folds it into his pocket.

"Five hundred and eighty three years."

"It passed in a blink of an eye," He says, eyes sweeping past the figures of Roy curled up on the couch like a cat as Rosie fell asleep in Leo's lap. "Will he be alright?" 

"He will be," Seung-gil's eyes darts to Yuri, sleeping on his lap. "Are you going to return?"

"No, Yuri likes the onsen."

"Then we'll contact you if we ever need you."

Otabek nods and with a jerk in his stomach, he and Yuri disappear. 

* * *

"How many were there before me?"

"Many," If he closes his eyes, he can picture every one of their faces, every name and death etched into his memory.

He doesn't mention the soul wrenching pain when each Regalia's name is wiped off the skin around his neck, a tightening of a noose that puts him into place. That while he is a god, a god of victory and wars, he is not the most powerful thing in this world.

He is merely an immortal mortal.

Yuri's cold fingers traces his name on the nape, short fingernails gently going over the tattoo as they lie in each other's arms, the red moon outside hanging low.

"You're sad."

"I'm fine," He answers honestly. It's fruitless to lie to Yuri since he knows him so well by now. "I was just thinking about them."

"What happens after we die?"

Otabek releases a breath he hasn't realized he was holding.

Yuri won't live forever.

Being in the Middle has only extended his lifespan somewhat. And Otabek said it to him when he first landed here, didn't he? Many moons ago.

_"The Middle is where the dead are given a second chance of being half alive."_

Yuri will be gone someday. And like Nikolai and the others before him, there's nothing Otabek can do about it.

"It's painless, like going to bed after a very long day, _kok köz,_ " He says, recalling the words of one of his first Regalias, a youthful girl bordering on the cusp of adulthood before she dove in front of an arrow meant for him. She had died in his arms. "Your name on my skin will slowly disappear, and there will be nothing."

Yuri doesn't say a word but reach across the short distance to wipe Otabek's wet cheek.

"I'm sorry for asking."

"Don't be," He mumbles into Yuri's sternum, "Don't ever be sorry for asking."

 

He doesn't bring Yuri into battle anymore. Otabek chooses to fight bare handed and comes home to the onsen with his breath short and haggard, happy and exhausted when Yuri meets him at the genkan. Lately, Yuri has greeted him from their bedroom, sitting up from his bed as Otabek kisses his greying hair, infuriatingly young and strong and ageless.

He hates it.

He pays Zarina a visit, coming earlier than their weekly meetings. Yuri is visiting Mila's grave in the burial grounds, Phichit accompanying him.

"When Yuri goes, I'm going with him."

Zarina calmly sips her tea. The cup is placed down before she throws him a glare, "Phichit warned me of a new god being born. Imagine my shock when I find out that she's supposed to be your replacement. 

"She'll be fine," Otabek has looked over the papers. He has full confidence of his replacement.

She looks at her drink, smoke rising from the surface, "You have decided? Truly?"

There is no meaning of an eternal life if Yuri isn't there, "I have. I ask you this...as a favor."

"Madina will curse you for centuries. Eons, even," Zarina has tears slipping down her cheeks, "When a god who has no Regalia dies under the hand of a sibling, the chain of reincarnation breaks," Her voice wobbles now. "You've been our brother since the beginning of time."

Otabek looks at the floor, studying the way the dust motes land on the shiny paneling, "Please."

Zarina stands up and exits the room, the door closing quietly. 

* * *

Seung-gil's fifteen year old reincarnation boldly steps up to him at the annual summer festival and drags him out into the gardens.

"Let's go to a club down at Earth."

Appalled, Otabek refuses, "You're not legal."

"I have been alive longer than you!" He bossily snaps, and Otabek sees his Regalia retainers zoom towards them. When Seung-gil catches sight of them, his face falls, and Otabek takes pity in that and relieves him of the party, ensuring that Yuri is in the midst of Phichit's and Guang Hong's circle before slipping out. 

They walk in light robes of the court, the moon glowing white instead of red. Vendors are enthusiastically offering them items, and Otabek buys a fan and offers it to Seung-gil, who seems uncomfortable with the way the hairs at the back of his neck seem to stick to his skin.

"My predecessor thinks you are stupid for exchanging immortality for your Regalia."

Otabek sighs, "He's told me that many times."

"Why?"

Otabek senses that they've stopped walking and turns, finding Seung-gil's dark eyes in the moonlight and streetlamps. A group of Regalia children are playing with fireworks nearby, and he looks up thoughtfully.

"When I think about it, we've been alive for so long. We've had shrines dedicated in our name, selected as gods when our subjects pray in our name, paraded down at Earth on selected days, but we can never make a change. Even though we're gods, we're not that strong."

"We aren't Fate and Destiny."

"Exactly. I've had to live saying goodbye to all my Regalias. It never becomes easier, no matter how much time passes. We aren't allowed to forget, and I find that both a blessing and curse.

"I find this life," Otabek continues, "Tiresome. I've been weary for a long time and I wish to retire to bed soon. I don't think I'm the right person for this type of immortality. I want to end it with Yuri by my side. He will be the last Regalia of the second god of victory."

He bows to Seung-gil when they go back to the castle and looks for Yuri, who has Yuuri's five year old reincarnation in his arms as he nods off.

"Hello," Otabek tip toes to press a kiss and misses, accidentally bumping his nose to Yuri's cheekbone instead. He blinks and adjusts his height.

Yuri, still beautiful in the moonlight and his eyes, passes Yuuri as he fixes his deep green robes, 'Had a good talk with Seung-gil?" They wave at Chris, eternally handsome as they walk away from court and embark on their long walk back towards the onsen. "Victor's been sending me anxious light messages. He thinks that we're incapable of taking care of Yuuri."

Otabek laughs, "He worries."

Yuri takes Yuuri back from Otabek, and he takes a moment to admire. His hair falls at the waist now, blond with grey streaking through it. Yuri is slow to move in morning drills, and needs the use of his cane during cold days, but his eyes are as bright as ever.

And as Yuri ages, Otabek adjusts his appearance accordingly, no longer keeping up the image of a twenty year old, a war god at the prime of his age. His temples are shot with white and grey, and Yuri comments on his laugh lines when they walk back, Victor waving from Yu-topia.

 

One day, Yuri asks him to put a disguise on himself.

Otabek slowly watches the wrinkles and lines disappear from his face, his back straightening as his hair becomes golden.

Then Yuri, beaming, asks, "I want to travel around. Can we do that?"

They hop from one country to another, stealing moments as they blend into the crowd, nameless lovers amongst many. Yuri points to everything he wants to do and Otabek honours his wishes, watching him run into the ocean as he digs his toes in the sand. They share a pot of tea, two entrees and a dessert in a quiet cafe with exposed bricks and the sun shining at their profiles. They chase after each other in a garden, Yuri running freely before his mobility was taken away, hiding behind rose bushes as Otabek shakes the petal out of his hair. At a purikura, Yuri fills their photos with stickers and tucks them into his pocket, eyes going soft as the sun starts to rise.

"Is the enchantment still holding on?"

Otabek chooses to look at the sunrise instead, knowing that no matter what Yuri thinks, the sun will never be as bright as him, "It's starting to wear off," He knows. He knows. _He knows_.

"Then we should head back, I've stolen you for more than enough."

Otabek nods and offers his hand as Yuri's knees buckles.

He lies Yuri on his favorite chair on the patio of Yu-topia, rows of flowers spotting the grass as he feels his eyes sting.

Yuri turns to him, a smile gracing his handsome twenty something features, "I want you to remember me in my prime."

He hastily wipes his eyes and nods, "I know."

"We should have traveled more," Yuri laughs weakly. Their hands find each other and Otabek bows his head, shoulders shaking as a hand runs through his hair. "There's a lot I want to do still..."

"Beka," Yuri's thumbs are wiping his tears away, " _Suiktim_ , don't cry."

"How can I not?" He bumbles, wiping his nose as he crouches next to the chair. He can hear Victor and Yuuri walk towards the back patio door, hovering at the entrance, keeping their distance. "You're leaving."

"Thank you for saving me," Yuri's voice doesn't waver, and Otabek shakes his head silently, wanting to scream but also wanting to not miss a thing Yuri said, "Thank you for risking your life getting Rencha when I suffered from rosetting fever. Thank you for letting me experience many things I wasn't able to during my human days."

" _Zhanym_ —"

Yuri tilts his head up and kisses his cheeks, bangs tickling his face, "I'm sorry for leaving you," He presses a kiss to his lips, then hands.

Otabek blinks, tears rolling down as he watches Yuri disappear, body slowly becoming fainter and fainter...until....

Nothing.

 

He mourns. He cries.

The back of the neck aches.

 

Madina hugs him tightly, tears streaking her cheeks as he steps into the circle, wearing his full armor, Regalia-less for the last time. Zarina, dressed in the crest of the court but wearing dark green like he is, speaks softly as her Regalia transforms into a long sword. She steps forward.

He looks around the room, of the young reincarnations and the older gods looking at him. For once, they're all meeting on equal grounds. No one is cursing. Everyone avoids his eyes.

JJ is standing to his left, wearing a lavender coloured robe as he smiles at Otabek sadly. Seung-gil somberly stands next to him, eyes puffy as no one questions his appearance, his formal court robes hanging off his too skinny shoulders still.

Otabek looks around one last time, of the capital and its skies as he lowers himself to his knees and bends forward, bowing to Zarina.

"Is this what you want?" She asks again. She is rarely weepy, but today is one of those exceptions.

"Farewell, sister, thank you," He whispers to her ear when she nods and stands.

"Thank you for your service."

There is pain, the golden blood of gods spreading on the palace floors. Otabek speaks the words, bringing the god to carry on his duties forward to existence. He meets JJ's wide eyes when Isabella, five years old and sweet, looks at Otabek and the blood.

"It's your turn to take care of him," He smiles.

Isabella grips his hand and bows, "Thank you."

It really is like falling asleep. The pain is dulling and his eyes close.

One moment he's there, and the next, Yuri is greeting him. 

✧✧✧

He rolls the motorcycle helmet between his hands, pursing his lips as the shopkeeper nods enthusiastically. He's adamant that Otabek takes one extra helmet, and Otabek doesn't know enough Spanish to politely decline, so he takes the helmet. 

His phone buzzes, and he looks at the screen, raising a brow. 

The shopkeeper and his wife wave at him as he swings a leg over the seat, muscles protesting slightly, his hip twinging from the fall he had on the ice earlier that morning. He fiddles with the clasp and breathes in the crisp air, revving the engine as he traces the path he needs to take from his phone.

Then he turns off his alerts, already foreseeing the lecture he's going to get from Coach Denis when he returns and all of internet blows up. Zarina and Madina will surely scream into his ear when he calls home tonight. He should get his hands on a pair of earplugs before he attempts it.

The blond hair is tucked into a hoodie, and the boy turns at the sound of the engine, green eyes of a soldier curiously looking at him as Otabek reaches behind him and grabs the extra helmet.

"Yuri," He says, the name flowing from his mouth like a distant promise. "Get on."

He tosses the helmet, and watches Yuri's slim fingers wrap around it.

 

Zarina looks down at her brother walking in the palace gardens, his Regalia at his side. She allows herself to slouch slightly as she studies them, Otabek offering a hand as Yuri picks and chooses his way on the uneven steps. They're making their way towards the small patch of bamboo forest, drawn in by the crisp wind and good weather.

She reads the form she must submit of her brother and his Regalia's looming death, looking back at the sweet couple before she calls for Chris and Phichit, the only ones who are in court on this beautiful day.

On their papers, she checks off the box with 'reincarnation' written next to it before signing it, smiling sadly. It's the least she could do as an older sister.

When Chris and Phichit comes, she stretches her arms above her head and stands, grabbing their elbows, "Let us take a break, I feel like visiting the gardens today."


End file.
